Tricrystalline TiO2 with enhanced photocatalytic activity and durability for removing volatile organic compounds from indoor air

It is important to develop efficient and economic techniques for removing volatile organic compounds(VOCs) in indoor air. Heterogeneous Ti O_2-based semiconductors are a promising technology for achieving this goal. Anatase/brookite/rutile tricrystalline Ti O_2 with mesoporous structure was synthesized by a low-temperature hydrothermal route in the presence of HNO_3.The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and N_2 adsorption–desorption isotherm. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by photocatalytic decomposition of toluene in air under UV light illumination. The results show that tricrystalline Ti O_2 exhibited higher photocatalytic activity and durability toward gaseous toluene than bicrystalline Ti O_2,due to the synergistic effects of high surface area, uniform mesoporous structure and junctions among mixed phases. The tricrystalline Ti O_2 prepared at R HNO_3= 0.8, containing80.7% anatase, 15.6% brookite and 3.7% rutile, exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity,about 3.85-fold higher than that of P25. The high activity did not significantly degrade even after five reuse cycles. In conclusion, it is expected that our study regarding gas-phase degradation of toluene over tricrystalline Ti O_2 will enrich the chemistry of the Ti O_2-based materials as photocatalysts for environmental remediation and stimulate further research interest on this intriguing topic.     

TiO2-PW9复合催化剂光催化降解游离氰

采用水热法制备了二氧化钛(TiO_2)与三缺位磷钨酸钠(Na_8H[β-A-PW_9O_(34)]·24H_2O)共价结合形成的TiO_2-PW_9复合催化剂,并对其光催化降解游离氰(CN~-)的效果进行了研究.NMR和XPS等表征结果证明,Na_8H[β-A-PW_9O_(34)]·24H_2O(简写为Na-PW_9)已成功负载于TiO_2上.光电化学表征结果表明,Na-PW_9的引入可有效提高TiO_2的界面电荷转移.光催化实验结果表明,与单独TiO_2相比,TiO_2-PW_9的光催化活性有明显提高.同时,探究了初始CN~-浓度和催化剂投加量对CN~-去除的影响.结果表明,当初始CN~-浓度为0.3 mmol·L~(-1)、催化剂投加量为1 g·L~(-1)时,复合催化剂的光催化活性最佳,反应150 min后,CN~-的去除率达到81%.CN~-的氧化产物分析结果表明,氰酸根(CNO~-)是CN~-氧化的唯一产物.自由基淬灭实验和电子自旋共振(ESR)波谱分析结果表明,~1O_2是反应体系中的主要活性氧物种.本实验可为多功能催化材料的开发及其在含氰废水污染控制领域的应用提供参考.     

Tricrystalline TiO2 with enhanced photocatalytic activity and durability for removing volatile organic compounds from indoor air

It is important to develop efficient and economic techniques for removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air. Heterogeneous TiO₂-based semiconductors are a promising technology for achieving this goal. Anatase/brookite/rutile tricrystalline TiO₂ with mesoporous structure was synthesized by a low-temperature hydrothermal route in the presence of HNO₃. The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherm. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by photocatalytic decomposition of toluene in air under UV light illumination. The results show that tricrystalline TiO₂ exhibited higher photocatalytic activity and durability toward gaseous toluene than bicrystalline TiO₂, due to the synergistic effects of high surface area, uniform mesoporous structure and junctions among mixed phases. The tricrystalline TiO₂ prepared at R_HNO3 = 0.8, containing 80.7% anatase, 15.6% brookite and 3.7% rutile, exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, about 3.85-fold higher than that of P25. The high activity did not significantly degrade even after five reuse cycles. In conclusion, it is expected that our study regarding gas-phase degradation of toluene over tricrystalline TiO₂ will enrich the chemistry of the TiO₂-based materials as photocatalysts for environmental remediation and stimulate further research interest on this intriguing topic.     

Synthesis of TiO2 visible light catalysts with controllable crystalline phase and morphology from Ti-bearing electric arc furnace molten slag

TiO₂ visible light catalysts with different crystalline phases and morphologies were synthesized from titanium-bearing electric arc furnace molten slag (Ti-bearing EAF slag) by using a simple acidolysis process. The effects of the pH of the HCl solution, liquid to solid ratio (R_L/S, HCl solution to the residue ratio, mL/g) and acidolysis time on the micro-morphology and crystalline phase of as-prepared TiO₂ photocatalysts were systematically investigated. The results indicated that with decreasing pH in the HCl solution and increasing R_L/S, the crystalline phase and micro-morphology of the obtained TiO₂ nanostructures tended to transform from anatase type TiO₂ with spherical nanoparticle structures to rutile type TiO₂ with needle-like nanorod structures. The acidolysis time had little influence on the crystalline phase but great impact on the size of the obtained TiO₂. The growth mechanism of TiO₂ from Ti-bearing EAF slag during the acidolysis process was also discussed. In addition, the influence of R_L/S on the photocatalytic properties of the synthesized nanostructured TiO₂ was studied. The results showed that the photodegradation efficiency for Rhodamine B solution could reach 91.00% in 120 min when the R_L/S was controlled at 50:1.     

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of fish scale loaded TiO2 composites under solar light irradiation

Fish scale (FS) loaded TiO₂ composites were investigated as photocatalysts in degradation of Methyl Orange under solar light irradiation. Composites were prepared through sol-gel method by varying mass ratio of TiO₂/FS at 90:10, 70:30 and 50:50, respectively. The catalysts prepared in this study were characterized by using XRD, SEM, FT-IR and nitrogen sorption. The effects of solar irradiation, mass ratio of TiO₂/FS composites, irradiation time and catalyst loadings were studied. Synergistic effect was found in TiO₂/FS of 90:10 composite which performed higher photocatalytic degradation than synthesized TiO₂ under solar light irradiation. However, further increasing fish scale content in the composites reduced the photocatalytic activity drastically. Under solar light irradiation, all the catalysts in this study exhibited photocatalytic activity, except TiO₂/FS of 50:50 composite that only acted as a weak biosorbent without performing any photocatalytic property. Photocatalytic degradation increased with increasing catalyst loading and irradiation time but decreased with increased of initial dye concentration.     

Photocatalytic degradation of organochlorine compounds using TiO2 supported on fiberglass cloth

The feasibility of photocatalytic degradation of organochlorine compounds using TiO₂ supported on fiberglass cloth as a photocatalyst was studied. The results showed that 2.0×10^-4 mol/dm³ of dichloroethylene, trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene can be completely photocatalytically degraded within a short time under illumination with a 375W medium pressure mercury lamp. The effects of parameters such as illumination time, initial concentration of organochlorine compounds, amount of air flow and concentration of H₂O₂ on the photocatalytic degradation were investigated. The TiO₂ supported on the fiberglass was not easily detached and after 500h illumination there was no significant loss of photocatalytic activity of TiO₂. The passible mechanisms of photocatalytic degradation were discussed.     

Fabrication of Bi2O3/TiO2 nanocomposites and their applications to the degradation of pollutants in air and water under visible-light

A nanoheterojunction composite photocatalyst Bi2O3/TiO2working under visible-light(λ 420 nm) was prepared by combining two semiconductors Bi2O3 and TiO2 varying the Bi2O3/TiO2molar ratio. Maleic acid was employed as an organic binder to unite Bi2O3 and TiO2 nanoparticles. The SEM, TEM, XRD and diffuse reflectance spectra were utilized to characterize the prepared Bi2O3/TiO2nanoheterojunction. The nanocomposite exhibited unusual high photocatalytic activity in decomposing 2-propanol in gas phase and phenol in aqueous phase and, evolution of CO2 under visible light irradiation while the end members exhibited low photocatalytic activity. The composite was optimized to 5 mol% Bi2O3/TiO2. The remarkable high photocatalytic efficiency originates from the unique relative energy band position of Bi2O3 and TiO2 as well as the absorption of visible light by Bi2O3.     

Surface modification of polypropylene non-woven fibers with TiO2 nanoparticles via layer-by-layer self assembly method: Preparation and photocatalytic activity

Polypropylene (PP) meltblown fibers were coated with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles using layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition technique. The fibers were first modified with 3 layers of poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PSS) and poly(diallyl-dimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) to improve the anchoring of the TiO₂ nanoparticle clusters. PDADMAC, which is positively charged, was then used as counter polyelectrolyte in tandem with anionic TiO₂ nanoparticles to construct TiO₂/PDADMAC bilayer in the LbL fashion. The number of deposited TiO₂/PDADMAC layers was varied from 1 to 7 bilayer, and could be used to adjust TiO₂ loading. The LbL technique showed higher TiO₂ loading efficiency than the impregnation approach. The modified fibers were tested for their photocatalytic activity against a model dye, Methylene Blue (MB). Results showed that the TiO₂ modified fibers exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity efficiency similar to that of TiO₂ powder dispersed in solution. The deposition of TiO₂ 3 bilayer on the PP substrate was sufficient to produce nanocomposite fibers that could bleach the MB solution in less than 4 hr. TiO₂-LbL constructions also preserved TiO₂ adhesion on substrate surface after 1 cycle of photocatalytic test. Successive photocatalytic test showed decline in MB reduction rate with loss of TiO₂ particles from the substrate outer surface. However, even in the third cycle, the TiO₂ modified fibers are still moderately effective as it could remove more than 95% of MB after 8 hr of treatment.     

Acid-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of nanocrystalline TiO2 from titanate nanotubes: Influence of acids on the photodegradation of gaseous toluene

In order to efficiently remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from indoor air, onedimensional titanate nanotubes (TiNTs) were hydrothermally treated to prepare TiO₂ nanocrystals with different crystalline phases, shapes and sizes. The influences of various acids such as CH₃COOH, HNO₃, HCl, HF and H₂SO₄ used in the treatment were separately compared to optimize the performance of the TiO₂ nanocrystals. Comparedwith the strong and corrosive inorganic acids, CH₃COOH was not only safer andmore environmentally friendly, but also more efficient in promoting the photocatalytic activity of the obtained TiO₂. Itwasobserved that the anatase TiO₂ synthesized in 15 mol/L CH₃COOH solution exhibited the highest photodegradation rate of gaseous toluene (94%), exceeding that of P25 (44%) by a factor ofmore than two. The improved photocatalytic activity was attributed to the small crystallite size and surface modification by CH₃COOH. The influence of relative humidity (20%-80%) on the performance of TiO₂ nanocrystals was also studied. The anatase TiO₂ synthesized in 15 mol/L CH₃COOH solution was more tolerant tomoisture than the other TiO₂ nanocrystals and P25.     

上转换发光剂掺杂纳米TiO2的制备及可见光降解乙基紫的研究

合成了一种新型含有稀土金属Er的上转换发光剂40CdF₂·60BaF₂·1.6Er₂O₃,此上转换发光剂在488 nm可见光的激发下,产生了5个波长均小于387 nm的上转换紫外光发射峰.采用超声波分散的方法制备出了上转换发光剂掺杂的纳米TiO₂可见光光催化剂.利用X-射线衍射(XRD)及透射电镜(TEM)对催化剂进行了表征.以乙基紫染料为研究对象,研究了在(三基色灯下发出的)可见光的照射下该可见光光催化剂的催化降解性能,并与未掺杂的纳米TiO₂粉末的催化性能进行了对比.结果表明,作为掺杂成分的上转换发光剂可有效地将可见光转化为紫外光并被纳米TiO₂粉末吸收利用,在可见光照射12.0 h后乙基紫降解率达到了99.68%,大大高于未掺杂纳米TiO2时的降解率.     

Photocatalytic degradation of dichlorvos using TiO2 supported on hollow glass microbeads

In this paper, a method for TiO₂ supported on hollow glass microbeads was described and the feasibility of photocatalytic degradation of dichlorvos using supported TiO₂(TiO₂/beads) was studied. The results showed that 1.0×10^-4 mol.dm^-3 of dichlovos could be completely photocatalytically degraded into PO₄^3- after 120 min illumination with a 375 W medium pressure mercury lamp. The effects of the amount of TiO₂/beads and concentration of Cu²⁺ on the photocatalytic degradation were also investigated. Some intemediate products of photocatalytic degradation of dichlorvos were detected.     

TiO2-石墨烯（Gn）复合材料光催化降解O3研究

通过改性Hummer法及溶胶凝胶法,制备出TiO2-石墨烯光催化复合材料.经吸附-光催化活性实验选出光催化活性最高的含C量为1.5%(质量分数)的TiO2-石墨烯复合材料,并在自行设计的模拟大型客机环境的气相光催化反应器中,进行O3光催化降解实验研究.结果表明,TiO2-石墨烯复合光催化材料在较短时间内对O3有较高的降解效率,且其光催化活性显著优于纯TiO2材料.初始O3浓度为(0.150～0.200)×10-6时,复合光催化剂受紫外光激发60 min的光催化降解率为66.12%,初始O3浓度为(0.950～1.000)×10-6时,其光催化降解率约为77%,较低浓度时((0.100～0.150)×10-6),O3去除率也能达到45.45%.此外,通过探讨光催化材料的重复使用性能,表明复合光催化剂重复使用4次以内,其对O3的光催化降解率保持基本稳定.     

In_2TiO_5纳米带的静电纺丝法制备及光催化性能

以酞酸丁酯(Ti(OC_4H_9)_4)、硝酸铟(In(NO3)3)和聚乙烯吡咯烷酮(PVP-K30)为原料,采用静电纺丝技术制备了In_2TiO_5纳米带.利用X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、紫外-可见漫反射光谱(UV-vis DRS)和氮气吸附-脱附等温线(BET)等技术对样品进行了表征.考察了In_2TiO_5纳米带在光催化降解罗丹明B(RhB)、甲基橙(MO)、亚甲基蓝(MB)和左氧氟沙星(LEV)过程中的应用性能,研究了不同离子型物质、溶液的pH和MB起始浓度对In_2TiO_5纳米带光催化活性的影响.结果表明:In_2TiO_5纳米带具有正交晶系结构,禁带宽度为3.47 eV,比表面积为20.71 m~2·g~(-1),可应用于4种不同离子型物质的光催化降解,发现光催化效果与被降解物质的表面带电性质有关.在紫外光照射下,90 min,对MB的降解率达98.1%,其降解过程服从一级动力学模型.     

BiOCl/TiO2的氯化改性及其新式光生自由基催化反应

采用溶胶凝胶法制备了BiOCl/TiO₂复合催化剂,透射电镜（TEM）照片显示,两种半导体分布均匀、相互连接,形成的异质结可以为电子传导提供有效通道.经过氯化处理的复合材料具备更强的光催化能力,在紫外光条件下对苯的降解率达到90%,是原BiOCl/TiO₂的2倍、纯TiO₂的10倍.本文利用X射线光电子能谱、红外光谱和电子顺磁共振,对表面氯化的机理进行研究.结果表明,氯元素以Ti—Cl的方式吸附在催化剂表面,在光照条件下光生空穴夺取一个电子,使其生成氯自由基,进而配合超氧、羟基,构成一种新型的三自由基光催化体系,使催化降解能力大幅提升.最后,利用实验方法得到了光生氯自由基的直接证据,并构建了该体系的光催化反应机理.     

Influence of environmental temperature and relative humidity on photocatalytic oxidation of toluene on activated carbon fibers coated TiO2

TiO₂ supported on active carbon fiber (TiO₂/ACF), an absorbable photocatalyst, is a new kind of material applied in air purification. In this paper, the influence of environmental temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) on the gas-solid adsorption of toluene and the photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) efficiency of adsorbed toluene on TiO₂/ACF were studied, and then, the purification capability of TiO₂/ACF was estimated. PCO results showed that although the PCO efficiency increased under high RH and T levels, the amount of adsorption of toluene decreased. Moreover, quantitative analysis results of intermediates indicated that more environmental risk emerged when PCO of toluene was carried out at higher environmental T and RH levels because more toxic intermediates would be accumulated on the TiO₂/ACF. So, it is significant to control the environmental T and RH conditions in the application of the PCO technique. T = 25°C and RH530% is the optimal condition for purifying toluene in our experimental system. __________ Translated from Urban Environment & Urban Ecology, 2007, 20(5): 10–13 [译自: 城市环境与城市生态]     

Synthesis, crystal structure, photodegradation kinetics and photocatalytic activity of novel photocatalyst ZnBiYO4

ZnBiYO₄ was synthesized by a solid-state reaction method for the first time. The structural and photocatalytic properties of ZnBiYO₄ were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance. ZnBiYO₄ crystallized with a tetragonal spinel structure with space group I41/A. The lattice parameters for ZnBiYO₄ were a = b = 11.176479 Å and c= 10.014323 Å. The band gap of ZnBiYO₄ was estimated to be 1.58 eV. The photocatalytic activity of ZnBiYO₄ was assessed by photodegradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation. The results showed that ZnBiYO₄ had higher catalytic activity compared with N-doped TiO₂ under the same experimental conditions using visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange with ZnBiYO₄ or N-doped TiO₂ as catalyst followed first-order reaction kinetics, and the first-order rate constant was 0.01575 and 0.00416 min^-1 for ZnBiYO₄ and N-doped TiO₂, respectively. After visible light irradiation for 220 min with ZnBiYO₄ as catalyst, complete removal and mineralization of methyl orange were observed. The reduction of total organic carbon, formation of inorganic products, SO₄^2- and NO₃^-, and evolution of CO₂ revealed the continuous mineralization of methyl orange during the photocatalytic process. The intermediate products were identified using liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry. The ZnBiYO₄/(visible light) photocatalysis system was found to be suitable for textile industry wastewater treatment and could be used to solve other environmental chemical pollution problems.     

Simulated-sunlight-activated photocatalysis of Methylene Blue using cerium-doped SiO2/TiO2 nanostructured fibers

Cerium-doped SiO₂/TiO₂ nanostructured fibers were fabricated by electrospinning technology. The prepared fibers were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Using the fibers as catalysts, photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) aqueous solution was carried out under simulated sunlight. The 0.2% Ce doping proved to be the optimal concentration for the doping of TiO₂/SiO₂, compared to other Ce-doped molar concentrations. The 0.2% Ce-doped SiO₂/TiO₂ fibers exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than industrial Degussa P25 and the samples doped with only Ce or SiO₂. The reasons for improving the photocatalytic activity were also discussed. Several operational parameters were studied, which showed that the photocatalytic efficiency of MB was influenced by parameters such as the initial dye concentration, the initial pH, inorganic anions, and so on. In addition, the influences of an electron acceptor and a radical scavenger suggested that OH was the dominant photooxidant during the photocatalytic process. The reuse evaluation of the fibers indicated that their photocatalytic activity had good stability.     

Photocatalytic degradation of phenanthrene on soil surfaces in the presence of nanometer anatase TiO2 under UV-light

The effect of nanometer anatase TiO₂ was investigated on the photocatalytic degradation of phenanthrene on soil surfaces under a variety of conditions. After being spiked with phenanthrene, soil samples loaded with different amounts of TiO₂ (0 wt.%, 1 wt.%, 2 wt.%, 3 wt.%, and 4 wt.%) were exposed to UV-light irradiation for 25 hr. The results indicated that the photocatalytic degradation of phenanthrene followed the pseudo first-order kinetics. TiO₂ significantly accelerated the degradation of phenanthrene with the half-life reduced from 45.90 to 31.36 hr for TiO₂ loading of 0 wt.% and 4 wt.%, respectively. In addition, the effects of H₂O₂, light intensity and humic acid on the degradation of phenanthrene were investigated. The degradation of phenanthrene increased with the concentration of H₂O₂, light intensity and the concentration of humic acids. It has been demonstrated that the photocatalytic method in the presence of nanometer anatase TiO₂ was a very promising technology for the treatments of soil polluted with organic substances in the future.     

Rubber sheet strewn with TiO2 particles:Photocatalytic activity and recyclability

A new method for the preparation of rubber sheet strewn with titanium dioxide particles (TiO₂-strewn sheet) is presented. This simple and low cost method is based on the use of TiO₂ powder (Degussa P25) being strewn onto the sheet made from rubber latex (60% HA) through a steel sieve. The characteristic of the TiO₂-strewn sheet was studied by using scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM/EDS) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) techniques. The photocatalytic activity of TiO₂-strewn rubber sheet was evaluated using Indigo Carmine (IC) dye as a model for organic dye pollutant in water. The results showed that the TiO₂-strewn sheet could degrade IC dye solution under UV light irradiation. The effects of pH, initial concentration, and the intensity of UV light on the photodegradation were also investigated. Kinetics of the photocatalytic degradation was of the first-order reaction. The used TiO₂-strewn sheet can be recovered and reused. The recycling uses did not require any cleaning between successive uses and no decline in the photodegradation efficiency was observed compared with freshly prepared TiO₂-strewn sheet.     

Immobilization of self-assembled pre-dispersed nano-TiO2 onto montmorillonite and its photocatalytic activity

The immobilization of pre-dispersed Ti O_2 colloids onto the external surface of the clay mineral montmorillonite(Mt) was accomplished and regulated via a self-assembly method employing the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTAB). The role of CTAB in the synthesis process was investigated by preparing a series of Ti O_2-CTAB-Mt composites(TCM) with various CTAB doses. The results indicated that a uniform and continuous Ti O_2 film was deposited on the external surface of montmorillonite in the composite synthesized with 0.1 wt.% of CTAB, and the TCM nano-composites showed much higher values for specific surface area, average pore size and pore volume than the raw montmorillonite clay. Then, the formed TCM materials were applied in photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol(2,4-DCP) in aqueous solution. The degradation efficiency reached as high as 94.7%. Based on the degradation intermediates benezoquinone, fumaric acid and oxalic acid identified by LC–MS analysis, a mechanism for the photocatalytic oxidation of 2,4-DCP on Ti O_2/Mt nano-composites is proposed.