Phenol degradation on the surface of mesoporous TiO2 particles via ligand-to-metal charge transfer under visible light irradiation

[Display omitted] •Formation of charge transfer complex between TiO2-phenol at TiO2 surface.•Blue light absorption via charge transfer through TiO2-phenol complex.•Blue light absorption via ligand-to-metal charger transfer (LMCT)•Phenol degradation by LMCT through TiO2-phenol complex.•Blue light absorption by LMCT did not result in the OH radical formation. Degradation behaviors of phenol from aqueous solution under the blue light irradiation were studied using a series of sol–gel prepared TiO2 particles exhibiting different blue light absorbing abilities. The phenol degradation under the blue light irradiation was most pronounced in the presence of TiO2 sample exhibiting the lowest blue light absorbing ability among the samples, showing no correlations between phenol degradation and light absorbing ability of TiO2 particles. UV-DRS analysis and scavenging experiments revealed that phenol degradation under visible light irradiation can be majorly proceed via the light absorption by the ligand-to-metal-charge-transfer (LMCT).