Visible Light Photo-Sensitized Metallo-Porphyrin/TiO₂ Photocatalyst and Its Related Self-Cleaning Effects in Poly Ethylene Terephthalate.

Dye degrading property to exhibit self-cleaning effect in Poly Ethylene Terephthalate (PET) through photocatalytic effect by Metallo porphyrin and TiO₂ has been studied in detail. PET has been modified by step wise deposition of anatase TiO₂ and Metallo porphyrin (CuTCNPP, NiTCNPP, ZnTCNPP), self-cleaning property of the modified PET has been studied by photo degradation of rhodamine B (RB) by irradiation under visible light and the degrading ability and the efficiency has been monitored using UV-Vis spectral technique by measuring the change in concentration of RB in the PET at different time intervals. Stability of Metallo porphyrin in PET also measured by UV-Vis spectral method. Indicating the porphyrin attached in PET are highly stable after washing the samples with detergent, water even after irradiating under visible light for more than 5 h. The degradation effectiveness found to be in the order of PET/TiO₂/ZnTCNPP > PET/TiO₂/CuTCNPP > PET/TiO₂/NiTCNPP > TiO₂ > PET. The modification made in the PET samples were characterized and confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) analysis and the prepared Metallo porphyrin has been confirmed through mass analysis.