Photo-induced interfacial biomimetic catalysis on nanocrustalline metal oxide semiconductors

Vaters, Jamie P. (2009) Photo-induced interfacial biomimetic catalysis on nanocrustalline metal oxide semiconductors. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The study of metal oxides (MOx ) materials began in the 1800's but the metal oxides were very difficult to characterize due to their amorphous and intractable nature. New and powerful experimental techniques whose sensitivity is on a nanometer scale have resulted in extraordinary advances in the field of nanotechnology. The characterization of MOx in terms of size-domain and size-dependent properties has brought about a renaissance and intense interest in metal oxide materials. The versatility of these materials has led to a wide variety of applications from environmental cleanup catalysts to molecular electronics. More specifically, the development of DSSC's (dye sensitized solar cells) where titanium(IV) dioxide films are modified with surface-bound chromophores has shown impressive cost/performance ratios and these are now being used in low-current applications. The work presented in this dissertation includes: the fabrication of surface-derivatized nanoscale TiO₂ colloids for the purpose of photocatalytic insertion of oxygen, similar to that performed via thermally-activated metalloenzymes such as cytochrome P450 and horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The development and characterization of TiO₂ foundations, porphyrin/TiO₂ assemblies and resulting proof-of-concept biomimetic photocatalysis is discussed. In addition, the preparation of free-standing TiO₂/Nafion® membranes is presented. -- [Please refer to dissertation for diagrams.]

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