Thermo-photocatalytic oxidation of benzene under visible light over nitrogen-doped titania grafted with Cu and Pt

Nitrogen-doped titania (TiO₂-N) was synthesized and tested, both in unmodified form and with grafted Cu and Pt particles, in the reaction of photocatalytic oxidation of benzene under visible light irradiation at temperatures of 40, 100 and 140 °C. The results obtained indicate additional thermal activation of the reaction over Pt-containing samples with the maximum difference between the total and thermal activities at 100–120 °C. As modifiers, both platinum and copper separately improve the photoactivity of TiO₂-N, but when used together, their effects do not add up, and the photocatalyst behaves like a Pt-modified sample.