The adsorption kinetic study of ruthenium complex, N3, onto nanoporous titanium dioxide (TiO2) photoanodes has been carried out by measuring dye uptake in-situ. Three simplified kinetic models including a pseudo first-order equation, pseudo second-order equation and intraparticle diffusion equation were chosen to follow the adsorption process. Kinetic parameters, rate constant, equilibrium adsorption capacities and related coefficient coefficients for each kinetic model were calculated and discussed. It was shown that the adsorption kinetics of N3 dye molecules onto porous TiO2 obeys pseudo second-order kinetics with chemisorption being the rate determining step. Additionally the heterogeneous surface and the pore size distribution of porous TiO2 adsorbents were also discussed.
