Synergistic effects on iodine release in potassium iodide solution by combination of ultrasound and visible light irradiations

Iodine release in potassium iodide solution has been investigated under the irradi-ations of ultrasound and visible light respectively and simultaneously. We have observed that the amount of iodine liberated under the combined irradiation of ultrasound and visible light is larger than the sum of that under the respective irradiations of ultrasound and visible light,indicating a synergistic effect of ultrasound and visible light irradiations. Based on the investi-gation of the reaction kinetics of iodine liberated, we have ascribed the synergistic effect to the perfect stirring of the photochemical reactor induced by the applying simultaneous ultrasound.The ideal stirring can result in the homogenization of the primary light effect in the whole reac-tion medium, which induces the acceleration of the photochemical reaction. On behavior of our knowledge, there are few reports on the investigations of utilizing the combination of ultrasonic energy and hght energy to accelerate the reaction yield and rate as well as the kinetics of the reaction.