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

A new strategy is described to immobilize photoactive C(60) 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 C(60) aminofullerene to the functionalized silica support. The linker moiety prevents aqueous C(60) aggregation/agglomeration (shown by TEM images), resulting in a remarkable enhancement of photochemical (1)O(2) production under visible light irradiation. With no loss in efficacy of (1)O(2) production plus insignificant chemical modification of the aminoC(60)/silica photocatalyst after multiple cycling, the system offers a promising new visible-light-activated photocatalyst. Under visible-light irradiation, the aminoC(60)/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 C(60) aminofullerene alone. Thus, this photocatalyst could enable water treatment in less developed areas by alleviating dependence on major infrastructure, including the need for electricity.