ABSTRACT
TiO2 nanotubes arrays (NTs), obtained via electrochemical anodization of Ti foil, were modified with monometallic (Cu, Bi) and bimetallic (AgCu) nanoparticles. Different amounts of metals' precursors were deposited on the surface of NTs by the spin-coating technique, and the reduction of metals was performed via gamma radiolysis. Surface modification of titania was studied by EDS and XPS analysis. The results show that AgCu nanoparticles exist in a Agcore-Cushell form. Photocatalytic activity was examined under UV irradiation and phenol was used as a model pollutant of water. Over 95% of phenol degradation was achieved after 60 min of irradiation for almost all examined samples, but only slight difference in degradation efficiency (about 3%) between modified and bare NTs was observed. However, the initial phenol degradation rate and TOC removal efficiency was significantly enhanced for the samples modified with 0.31 and 0.63 mol% of Bi as well as for all the samples modified with Cu and AgCu nanoparticles in comparison with bare titania nanotubes. The saturated photocurrent, under the influence of simulated solar light irradiation, for the most active Bi- and AgCu-modified samples, was over two times higher than for pristine NTs. All the examined materials were resistant towards photocorrosion processes that enables their application for long term processes induced by light.
ABSTRACT
The development of visible-light responsive photocatalysts would permit more efficient use of solar energy, and thus would bring sustainable solutions to many environmental issues. Conductive polymers appear as a new class of very active photocatalysts under visible light. Among them poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is one of the most promising conjugated polymer with a wide range of applications. PEDOT nanostructures synthesized in soft templates via chemical oxidative polymerization demonstrate unprecedented photocatalytic activities for water treatment without the assistance of sacrificial reagents or noble metal co-catalysts and turn out to be better than TiO2 as benchmark catalyst. The PEDOT nanostructures exhibit a narrow band gap (E = 1.69 eV) and are characterized by excellent ability to absorb light in visible and near infrared region. The novel PEDOT-based photocatalysts are very stable with cycling and can be reused without appreciable loss of activity. Interestingly, hollow micrometric vesicular structures of PEDOT are not effective photocatalysts as compared to nanometric spindles suggesting size and shape dependent photocatalytic properties. The visible-light active photocatalytic properties of the polymer nanostructures present promising applications in solar light harvesting and broader fields.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: This study of photocatalytic degradation of wastewater was carried out in alveolar cell ß-SiC foam-structured photocatalytic reactors working in a recirculation mode. The immobilization of TiO2 on ß-SiC foams was efficiently obtained through a sol-gel technique in acidic conditions. DISCUSSION: In order to optimize degradation yields obtained by the foam-structured prototype reactor for the photocatalytic water treatment, the operating conditions of the photoreactor have been investigated and the efficiency of the process was evaluated by measuring the photocatalytic degradation of Diuron (3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl-urea)) under UV irradiation. Kinetic studies were carried out by investigating the influence of different parameters controlling the reaction (TiO2 loading and ß-SiC foam cell size). The ageing of TiO2/ß-SiC foam photocatalytic materials and the mineralization (TOC, Cl-, NO3- and NH4+) of Diuron were investigated.
