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.     

Photocatalytic parameters and kinetic study for degradation of dichlorophenol-indophenol (DCPIP) dye using highly active mesoporous TiO2 nanoparticles

Highly active mesoporous TiO_2 of about 6 nm crystal size and 280.7 m~2/g specific surface areas has been successfully synthesized via controlled hydrolysis of titanium butoxide at acidic medium. It was characterized by means of XRD(X-ray diffraction), SEM(scanning electron microscopy), TEM(transmission electron microscopy), FT-IR(Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), TGA(thermogravimetric analysis), DSC(differential scanning calorimetry) and BET(Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) surface area. The degradation of dichlorophenol-indophenol(DCPIP) under ultraviolet(UV) light was studied to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of samples. The effects of different parameters and kinetics were investigated. Accordingly, a complete degradation of DCPIP dye was achieved by applying the optimal operational conditions of 1 g/L of catalyst, 10 mg/L of DCPIP, pH of 3 and the temperature at 25 ± 3°C after 3 min under UV irradiation. Meanwhile, the Langmuir–Hinshelwood kinetic model described the variations in pure photocatalytic branch in consistent with a first order power law model.The results proved that the prepared TiO_2 nanoparticle has a photocatalytic activity significantly better than Degussa P-25.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

TiO2-Fe3+可见光催化H2O2降解阿特拉津的协同效应

以内分泌干扰物阿特拉津为模型污染物,研究了TiO2-Fe3+可见光催化H2O2降解阿特拉津的协同效应.结果表明,在H2O2存在条件下,金红石TiO2经可见光激发可持续稳定地产生.OH自由基,在Fe3+协同作用下,.OH自由基生成量急剧增加;TiO2能可见光催化H2O2降解阿特拉津,金红石TiO2显示出较锐钛矿TiO2及混晶TiO2(TiO2P25)更高的催化活性,反应60 min,阿特拉津的降解率可达40%;以Fe3+协同TiO2可见光催化H2O2降解阿特拉津时,反应效率显著加快,反应5 min即对阿特拉津的降解率达到100%,而金红石TiO2显示出更为明显的协同效应.     

Visible light responsive N-F-codoped TiO2 photocatalysts for the degradation of 4-chlorophenol

Visible light responsive N-F-codoped TiO₂ photocatalysts exhibit a higher catalytic activity than N-doped TiO₂ for the degradation of 4-chlorophenol due to the synergistic effect of nonmetal elements.     

Synergistic effect of N- and F-codoping on the structure and photocatalytic performance of TiO2

Three types of TiO₂ nanostructures were synthesized via a facile hydrolysis method at 195 °C. Effects of the preparation method and doping with N and F on the crystal structure and photocatalytic performance of TiO₂ were investigated. The nanomaterials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller porosimetry, ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and fluorescent emission spectra. Their photo-catalytic activity was examined by the photodegradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution under both ultra-violet and visible light irradiation. The results show that nitrogen and fluorine co-doped anatase TiO₂ had the characteristics of a smaller crystalline size, broader light absorption spectrum and lower charge recombination than pure TiO₂. Most importantly, more efficient photocatalytic activity under both ultra-violet and visible light was observed. The obtained N–F-TiO₂ nanomaterial shows considerable potential for water treatment under sunlight irradiation.     

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.     

Enhanced photoelectrocatalytic degradation of ammonia by in situ photoelectrogenerated active chlorine on TiO2 nanotube electrodes

TiO_2 nanotube(Ti NT) electrodes anodized in fluorinated organic solutions were successfully prepared on Ti sheets. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction(XRD) were performed to characterize the TiNT electrodes. The linear voltammetry results under irradiation showed that the TiNT electrode annealed at 450°C presented the highest photoelectrochemical activity. By combining photocatalytic with electrochemical process, a significantly synergetic effect on ammonia degradation was observed with Na_2SO_4 as supporting electrolyte at pH 10.7. Furthermore, the photoelectrocatalytic efficiency on the ammonia degradation was greatly enhanced in presence of chloride ions without the limitation of pH. The degradation rate was improved by 14.8 times reaching 4.98 × 10~(-2) min~(-1) at pH 10.7 and a faster degradation rate of 6.34 × 10~(-2) min~(-1)was obtained at pH 3.01. The in situ photoelectrocatalytic generated active chlorine was proposed to be responsible for the improved efficiency. On the other hand, an enhanced degradation of ammonia using TiNT electrode fabricated in fluorinated organic solution was also confirmed compared to TiNT electrode anodized in fluorinated water solution and TiO_2 film electrode fabricated by sol–gel method. Finally, the effect of chloride concentration was also discussed.     

WC/TiO2纳米复合界面光催化剂制备及其光催化降解酚类污染物研究

设计并制备了新型WC/TiO2纳米复合界面光催化剂应用于酚类污染物的光催化降解反应中.采用X射线衍射(XRD)和扫描电子显微镜(SEM)技术分析了WC/TiO2纳米复合界面光催化剂的晶型和表面形貌.结果显示锐钛矿型TiO2纳米颗粒均匀地分散在WC纳米球表面并很好地构筑了WC/TiO2界面.研究了不同WC负载比例的WC/TiO2光催化剂在模拟太阳光照射下降解苯酚的光催化性能.结果表明:WC/TiO2复合界面的形成可以有效地提高TiO2光催化降解性能;其中,3%WC/TiO2(质量分数)光催化降解苯酚的活性最高.利用紫外-可见光谱(UV-Vis)和高效液相色谱-质谱联用技术(HPLC-MS)分析了WC/TiO2纳米复合界面光催化剂降解苯酚的中间产物,提出了苯酚在WC/TiO2界面上可能的降解机理.     

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]     

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

The immobilization of pre-dispersed TiO₂ 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 TiO₂-CTAB-Mt composites (TCM) with various CTAB doses. The results indicated that a uniform and continuous TiO₂ 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 TiO₂/Mt nano-composites is proposed.     

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.     

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 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.     

Bi掺杂In2TiO5纳米带的制备及其光催化性能

以Bi(NO_3)_3、Ti(OC_4H_9)_4、In(NO_3)_3和聚乙烯吡咯烷酮(PVP-K30)为原料,采用静电纺丝法和沉淀法相结合,成功制备了Bi掺杂In_2TiO_5(Bi-In_2TiO_5)纳米带.利用X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、X射线能量色散谱(EDS)、紫外-可见漫反射光谱(UV-vis DRS)和氮气吸附-脱附等温线(BET)等技术对样品进行表征.结果表明,Bi的掺杂未引入新的杂相,样品均为正交晶系结构,掺杂前后样品的形貌未发生明显变化.适量的Bi掺杂,在In2Ti O5晶格中形成杂质能级,降低了In_2TiO_5的带隙能.当掺杂量为2%时,制备的Bi-In_2TiO_5纳米带的光催化活性最高.在氙灯(150 W)辐照下,150 min,对罗丹明B的降解率达95.8%,且该催化剂对氟喹诺酮类抗生素左氧氟沙星(LEV)也表现出优良的光催化降解性能.     

SiO2纳米颗粒内嵌强化介孔TiO2单晶光催化降解盐酸四环素

吸附性能和光生载流子的分离效率是决定光催化降解抗生素的主要因素.为提高介孔TiO_2单晶(MSCs)的吸附性能和光生载流子的分离效率,在MSCs内部构建SiO_2纳米颗粒吸附结构.同时,利用表面光电压谱、氮气等温吸附-脱附、X射线衍射等研究其结构特性.最后,以盐酸四环素为抗生素代表,通过控制SiO_2纳米颗粒比表面积,考察SiO_2对复合材料吸附及光催化性能的影响.结果表明,SiO_2纳米颗粒与TiO_2单晶复合显著提高了材料的吸附性能,表面保护蚀刻进一步提升了材料的比表面积.实验条件下,高比表面积SiO_2-TiO_2单晶复合材料(KSiO_2@TiO_2)对盐酸四环素的平衡吸附量、降解效率、降解速率常数和矿化率分别达到了0.96 mg·g-1、90.2%、0.0079 min-1、54.4%,分别是MSCs的4.4、1.5、2.6和3.1倍.副产物分析表明,SiO_2复合介孔单晶材料更易将盐酸四环素降解为小分子物质.