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Phthalocyanine–Virus Nanofibers as Heterogeneous Catalysts for Continuous‐Flow Photo‐Oxidation Processes
Author(s) -
AnayaPlaza Eduardo,
Aljarilla Ana,
Beaune Grégory,
Timonen Jaakko V. I.,
Escosura Andrés,
Torres Tomás,
Kostiainen Mauri A.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201902582
Subject(s) - singlet oxygen , materials science , phthalocyanine , catalysis , photosensitizer , cationic polymerization , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , aqueous solution , ionic bonding , nanofiber , tobacco mosaic virus , photochemistry , oxygen , organic chemistry , chemistry , polymer chemistry , virus , virology , engineering , biology , ion
The generation of highly reactive oxygen species (ROS) at room temperature for application in organic synthesis and wastewater treatment represents a great challenge of the current chemical industry. In fact, the development of biodegradable scaffolds to support ROS‐generating active sites is an important prerequisite for the production of environmentally benign catalysts. Herein, the electrostatic cocrystallization of a cationic phthalocyanine (Pc) and negatively charged tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is described, together with the capacity of the resulting crystals to photogenerate ROS. To this end, a novel peripherally crowded zinc Pc (1) is synthesized. With 16 positive charges, this photosensitizer shows no aqueous aggregation, and is able to act as a molecular glue in the unidimensional assembly of TMV. A step‐wise decrease of ionic strength in mixtures of both components results in exceptionally long fibers, constituted by hexagonally bundled viruses thoroughly characterized by electron and confocal microscopy. The fibers are able to produce ROS in a proof‐of‐concept microfluidic device, where they are immobilized and irradiated in several cycles, showing a resilient performance. The bottom‐up approach also enables the light‐triggered disassembly of fibers after use. This work represents an important example of a biohybrid material with projected application in light‐mediated heterogeneous catalysis.