C₆₀ aminofullerene immobilized on silica as a visible-light-activated photocatalyst

A new strategy is described to immobilize photoactive C₆₀ aminofullerene on silica gel (3-(2-succinic anhydride)propyl functionalized silica), thus enabling facile separation of the photocatalyst for recycling and repeated use. An organic linker moiety containing an amide group was used to anchor C₆₀ aminofullerene to the functionalized silica support. The linker moiety prevents aqueous C₆₀ aggregation/agglomeration (shown by TEM images), resulting in a remarkable enhancement of photochemical ¹O₂ production under visible light irradiation. With no loss in efficacy of ¹O₂ production plus insignificant chemical modification of the aminoC₆₀/silica photocatalyst after multiple cycling, the system offers a promising new visible-light-activated photocatalyst. Under visible-light irradiation, the aminoC₆₀/silica photocatalyst is capable of effective and kinetically enhanced oxidation of Ranitidine and Cimetidine (pharmaceutical pollutants) and inactivation of MS-2 bacteriophage compared to aqueous solutions of the C₆₀ aminofullerene alone. Thus, this photocatalyst could enable water treatment in less developed areas by alleviating dependence on major infrastructure, including the need for electricity.