The aim of this study is to investigate and reveal challenges in photocatalytic CO2 reduction tests performed in liquid media. Effect of test conditions in photocatalytic studies are often underestimated with an assumption of negligible mass transfer limitations in observed rate results. In this study, effect of mass transfer limitations in liquid phase photocatalytic tests was revealed with stirring rate and gas hold-up time experiments performed with Pt/TiO2 and Cu/TiO2 catalysts. In addition, apparent activation energies of 12 and 19.5 kJ/mol found with Pt/TiO2 and Cu/TiO2 catalysts respectively indicate diffusion limitations which favor back oxidation reactions resulting in low reduction yields. Photocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction is named as Artificial Photosynthesis even though present artificial system does not have sophisticated transport and membrane systems which natural systems have. Similarities and differences between artificial and natural photosynthesis are studied in order to present ideas to improve present photocatalytic rates. Kinetic and microkinetic modeling of catalytic methanol production from CO2 hydrogenation on Cu surfaces were performed in order to have an idea about kinetic limitations at photocatalytic systems. Calculations were performed at temperatures and pressures at which photocatalytic studies are conducted. The results indicated that water has an inhibitory effect on methanol formation rates and higher pressures could be implemented in photocatalytic systems for higher rates. Another implication drawn from degree of rate control calculations is that H formation step plays an important role underlying the importance of water splitting in CO2 reduction reactions.

Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring chemicals of plant origin that have the ability to cause estrogenic and/or anti-estrogenic effects due to their structural similarities to the human hormone oestradiol. It has been proposed that phytoestrogens protect against a wide range of ailments, including breast and prostate cancers, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and menopausal symptoms. Daidzein, biochanin A and especially genistein which has been reported to be the most biologically active dietary phytoestrogen attract great deal of interest in today&rsquo / s researches. In this study, twenty different food items, including legumes, fruits, nuts and herbs, (haricot beans, chickpeas, green lentils, red lentils, soybeans, licorice root, yarrow, dried chestnuts, prunes, raisins, currants, black cumin, dried apricots, dried parsley, dried dates, dried figs, sage (from Aegean region), sage (from Mediterranean region), grapevine leaves, gilaburu) were selected. Following an extraction procedure employing acid hydrolysis and heating / they were analysed for their daidzein, genistein and biochanin A contents using a reversed-phase C18 column with linear gradient elution on a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with diode-array detector (DAD). Soybeans were found to contain high amounts of daidzein (91.36 mg/100 g) and genistein (85.57 mg/100 g). Chickpeas were found to contain much less amount of genistein (0.89 mg/100 g) compared with that of soybeans and also biochanin A (0.95 mg/100 g) which was not detected in soybeans. None of daidzein, genistein and biochanin A was detected in the remaining eighteen food items.

A titanium dioxide powder co-doped with boron and zirconium was prepared by mechanical ball milling. Photocatalytic performance of the powder was evaluated by degradation of methylene blue (MB) solution under UV illumination. XRD patterns were refined by Rietveld analysis method to obtain accurate lattice parameters and position of the atoms in the crystal structure of TiO2. XRD analysis indicated that the B and/or Zr doped TiO2 powders composed of anatase and did not exhibit any additional phase. Rietveld analysis suggested that dopant B and Zr elements were successfully weaved into crystal structure and distorted the lattice of TiO2. The highest distortion was obtained by co-doping. SEM investigations confirmed that mechanical ball milling technique led to a decrease in particle size of TiO2 powder. XPS analysis revealed that dopant B and Zr atoms did not appear in any form of compound including Ti and O elements. Results of photocatalytic activity test suggested that boron and zirconium co-doped TiO2 particles exhibited a better visible light response and photocatalytic activity than that of mono element doped TiO2 (i.e. B-TiO2 and Zr-TiO2) and undoped TiO2 particles. A 20% improvement in photocatalytic activity of reference TiO2 powder (powder ball milled without dopant addition) was achieved by B and Zr co-doping. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to synergistic effects of B-Zr co-doping the lattice of TiO2 as well as particle size reduction.

TiO2 in anatase form is the most widely studied material for photocatalytic reactions. Utilization of oxide support materials such as silica with suitable transparency within band gap range of TiO2 is promising technique to obtain efficient photocatalysts for many applications. In the present study, simultaneous co-hydrolyzation of tetraethyl orthosilacate (TEOS) and titanium tetrabutaoxide (TBOT) precursors were carried out in the presence of hydrochloric acid. The effects of washing with low vapor pressure solvent(n-octane), drying conditions, hydrothermal ageing and TiO2/SiO2 ratio on the catalyst structure and photocatalytic activity were studied. The samples were characterized by XRD, BET, DRIFTS techniques and the activity was measured for liquid phase room temperature oxy/demineralization of phenol under artificial solar irradiation. The reaction intermediates were followed by UV/vis spectrophotometer and HPLC. It was found that the hydrothermal treatment contributes better degree of crystalinity, higher surface area and thus photocatalytic activity compared to the samples which were synthesized with conventional drying at 100oC overnight. The formation of Ti-O-Si interface indicating the degree of dispersion was evidenced by DRIFTS technique for all hydrothermally tretated samples. The highest surface area and photocatlytic activity was observed with hydrothermally treated catalyst with TiO2/SiO2:0.34 composition.

Benzimidazole and benzotriazole derivatives, 4-(2,3-Dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4] dioxin-5-yl)-7-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4b][1,4]dioxin-7-yl)-2-benzyl-1H-benzo[d] imidazole (BIm-Ed), 2-benzyl-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2H-benzo[d] [1,2,3] triazole (BBTS), and 2-benzyl-4,7-bis(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)-2Hbenzo[ d] [1,2,3] triazole (BBTES) were employed as photosensitizers for diaryliodonium salt photoinitiators in cationic photopolymerization of various epoxide and vinyl ether monomers. Diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate (Ph2I+PF6&macr / ) salt was used as the photoinitiator in this study. Extended conjugation and electron-rich moieties of the photosensitizers enabled the use of long wavelength UV and visible light emitting light sources in cationic photopolymerizations. Polymerizations were achieved at room temperature and monitored by optical pyrometry. Photopolymerization of a diepoxide monomer with ambient solar irradiation was examined.

Silver (Ag) was loaded to three different kinds (P-25, NT-22, and TiO(OH)2) of titanium dioxide (TiO2) powders through adding three different quantities (4.6, 9.2, and 13.8 ml) of silver nitrate (AgNO3) solution by mechanical ball milling process. X-Ray diffraction analysis suggested that Ag was loaded on the TiO2 powders in the form of silver oxide (AgO). SEM, particle size, and BET surface area analyses revealed that TiO2 particles agglomerated after ball milling, resulting in the decrease of specific surface area of the TiO2 powders. Powders P-25, NT-22, and TiO(OH)2 degraded 94 %, 46 %, and 26 %, respectively of MO solution under 1 h UV irradiation. Increasing amount of Ag loading enhanced photocatalytic activity of TiO2 powders under UV irradiation. The best photocatalytic performance was achieved by 13.8 ml AgNO3 solution added NT-22 powders. Percent methyl orange (MO) degradation of 13.8 ml AgNO3 solution added P-25, NT-22, and TiO(OH)2 powders under 1 h UV irradiation was 85 %, 96 %, and 67 %, respectively. Contact angle measurements revealed that hydrophilic properties of TiO2 powders were also improved by Ag loading. Moreover, TiO2 powders gained antibacterial prospect after Ag addition. Ag loaded TiO2 powders could be used effectively for the applications requiring better photocatalytic activity and antibacterial effect.

This study is focused on the use of visible light in photoinitiated cationic polymerization. Photoinitiated polymerization of oxiranes, vinyl ethers, and other vinyl monomers was achieved. In doing so, (2-(2,3 dihydrobenzo [b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-3-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b]-[1,4]dioxin-7-yl)-5-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)-8-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-7yl) quinoxaline) (DBQEd) and poly(2,3,5,8-tetra(thiophen-2-yl)quinoxaline) (TTQ), two dibenzo[a,c]phenazine derivatives / 10,13-bis(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)dibenzo[a,c] phenazine (PHED) and 10,13-bis(4-hexylthiophen-2-yl)dibenzo[a,c]phenazine (PHEHT) were utilized as the photosensitizers for diaryliodonium salt photoinitiators. Novel dyes based on the dibenzo[a,c]phenazine and quinoxaline skeleton were shown to be efficient in carrying out the cationic photopolymerizations of a wide variety of epoxide, oxetane, and vinyl monomers at room temperature upon irradiation with long-wavelength UV and visible light. The polymerizations were initiated at room temperature in the presence of diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate (Ph2I+PF-6) and monitored by optical pyrometry (OP). The photopolymerization of an epoxide monomer via solar irradiation was also demonstrated.