Pyrolytic formation and photoactivity of reactive oxygen species in a SiO 2/carbon nanocomposite from kraft lignin.

SiO 2 and carbon produced by kraft lignin pyrolyzed at 600°C can generate stable reactive oxygen species (ROS) by reaction with atmospheric oxygen. In this study, we systematically investigate the photochemistry of peroxyl radicals in carbon-supported silica (PCS) and assess its effects on the methylene blue (MB) photodegradation. Characterization revealed that the higher ROS generation ability of SiO 2/carbon under UV light irradiation was attributed to its abundant photoactive surface-oxygenated functional groups.