1 research outputs found
Elucidating the Photoredox Nature of Isolated Iron Active Sites on MCM-41
Photocatalytic
performance is highly dependent on the nature and
dispersion of the active sites, playing a crucial role in the optoelectronic
and charge-transfer processes. Here, we report stabilized isolated
iron on MCM-41 as a highly active catalyst for a photoredox reaction.
The unique nature of the single-atom centers exhibit a trichloroethylene
conversion per iron site that is almost 5 times higher than that of
TiO<sub>2</sub>. Advanced characterization and theoretical calculations
indicate the generation of hydroxyl radicals, through a photoinduced
ligand-to-metal charge-transfer mechanism, which act as hole scavengers
that lead to the formation of intermediate oxoâiron species
(Feî»O). This intermediate species is the key step in promoting
the photocatalytic reactions. Understanding the mechanistic photoredox
pathway in isolated active site materials is imperative for developing
highly efficient nonprecious photocatalysts for environmental or energy
applications