Polycrystalline TiO2 impregnated with cardanol-based porphyrins for the photocatalytic degradation of 4-nitrophenol

Hydrogenated cardanol (3-n-pentadecylphenol), a renewable organic resource obtained by vacuum distillation of roasted "cashew nut shell liquid" (CNSL), a by-product of the cashew industry, has been used to synthesize novel lipophilic porphyrins. Polycrystalline TiO2 impregnated with these novel "cardanol-based" porphyrins as sensitizers has been investigated in the photodegradation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in aqueous suspension. The results indicated that the presence of the sensitizer enhances the photoactivity of polycrystalline bare TiO2 in the process. The activating effect was higher in the case of the Cu-complex.