Facile synthesis and photocatalytic activity of a novel titanium dioxide nanocomposite coupled with zinc porphyrin

To improve the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide, a novel nanocomposite was prepared via axial coordination of zinc porphyrin on the semiconducting titanium dioxide surface modified with axial coordinating ligand functionality, pyridine. The obtained product (zinc porphyrin/titanium dioxide) was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, fluorescence, thermogravimetric analysis, and Raman spectroscopic techniques. The photocatalytic performance of the samples was investigated by photodegradation of rhodamine B in aqueous solution. The attached zinc porphyrin on the surface can act as a small bandgap semiconductor to absorb visible light, resulting in the formation of electron–hole separation and an improved photocatalytic activity for the nanocomposite.