Here the photocatalytic performance activity of a novel Co-TCPP@TiO2/WO3 nanohybrid toward selective alcohol oxidation is reported. The Co-TCPP@TiO2/WO3 nanohybrid was prepared in three major steps. After the synthesis of nano-disk WO3 by a new green chemical method using natural pomegranate juice, a TiO2/WO3 nanocomposite was obtained via a sonochemical assisted hydrothermal method, followed by anchoring of cobalt(II)-meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (Co-TCPP) on TiO2/WO3. All intermediate nanomaterials and the final nanohybrid compound were characterized by FE-SEM, EDAX, XRD, DRS and FT-IR spectroscopy. The photocatalytic behavior of the TiO2/WO3 nanocomposite and Co-TCPP@TiO2/WO3 nanohybrid were investigated in oxidation of primary alcohols under visible light irradiation in the presence of air as the oxygen source. The progress of the catalytic reactions was monitored using a TLC technique. Remarkably, the photocatalytic performance of the TiO2/WO3 nanocomposite was enhanced from 70 to 95% by anchoring the TCPP on the composite. This nanohybrid catalyst was reused and recovered ten times without losing photocatalytic activity. In fact, nanohybrid Co-TCPP@TiO2/WO3 shows an extremely higher efficiency and shorter reaction time (1 h) than the TiO2/WO3 nanocomposite. So, this nanohybrid compound has the potential to be used as a high performance heterogeneous photocatalyst under visible light irradiation for oxidation reactions, with advantages of high activity, high selectivity, reusability and easy separation.
