Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalysts of Perfluorinated Silica-Based Fluorescent Carbon Dot/TiO2 for Tunable Hydrophilic–Hydrophobic Surfaces

• Published in: ACS applied materials & interfaces Vol. 8; no. 43; pp. 29827 - 29834
• Main Authors: Kim, Young Kwang, Kang, Eun Bi, Kim, Sung Han, Sharker, Shazid Md, Kong, Beyung Youn, In, Insik, Lee, Kang-Dae, Park, Sung Young
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Chemical Society 02.11.2016
• Subjects: UV−vis; silica−carbon dot; hydrophilic−hydrophobic surface; photocatalysis; TiO2
• ISSN: 1944-8244; 1944-8252
• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b12618

In this study, a new hydrophilic–hydrophobic transition surface was designed via visible-light-induced photocatalytic perfluorinated silica-based fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (FNPs)/TiO2. Perfluorinated silica–polydopamine hybrid FNPs (f-FNPs) were easily fabricated by carbonization in an emulsion system consisting of tetraethyl orthosilicate and dopamine, followed by the deposition of TiO2 on f-FNPs, which demonstrated the reversal from hydrophobic to hydrophilic nature during successful photocatalysis. The synergistic effect of silica–carbon and the deposited TiO2 NPs led to the decomposition of methylene blue under UV and visible light irradiation, demonstrating that FNPs/TiO2 sustains photocatalytic activity. The profound contact angle with the catalytic kinetics curve and precise morphology and extension of cells detach antifouling exceptionally unrestricted the synergistic effect of silica–carbon on TiO2 NPs on a coated paper substrate. Given the interest in the manipulation of hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity, this study can serve as a guideline for the fabrication of photocatalytic surfaces where water spreads completely.