Visible-Light-Active N-Doped TiO2 Photocatalysts: Synthesis from TiOSO4, Characterization, and Enhancement of Stability Via Surface Modification

This paper describes the chemical engineering aspects for the preparation of highly active and stable nanocomposite photocatalysts based on N-doped TiO₂. The synthesis is performed using titanium oxysulfate as a low-cost inorganic precursor and ammonia as a precipitating agent, as well as a source of nitrogen. Mixing the reagents under a control of pH leads to an amorphous titanium oxide hydrate, which can be further successfully converted to nanocrystalline anatase TiO₂ through calcination in air at an increased temperature. The as-prepared N-doped TiO₂ provides the complete oxidation of volatile organic compounds both under UV and visible light, and the action spectrum of N-doped TiO₂ correlates to its absorption spectrum. The key role of paramagnetic nitrogen species in the absorption of visible light and in the visible-light-activity of N-doped TiO₂ is shown using the EPR technique. Surface modification of N-doped TiO₂ with copper species prevents its intense deactivation under highly powerful radiation and results in a nanocomposite photocatalyst with enhanced activity and stability. The photocatalysts prepared under different conditions are discussed regarding the effects of their characteristics on photocatalytic activity under UV and visible light.

Graphene-Based TiO2 Nanocomposite for Photocatalytic Degradation of Dyes in Aqueous Solution under Solar-Like Radiation

This study presents a novel method for the development of TiO2/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposites for photocatalytic degradation of dyes in an aqueous solution. The synergistic integration of rGO and TiO2, through the formation of Ti–O–C bonds, offers an interesting opportunity to design photocatalyst nanocomposite materials with the maximum absorption shift to the visible region of the spectra, where photodegradation can be activated not only with UV but also with the visible part of natural solar irradiation. TiO2@rGO nanocomposites with different content of rGO have been self-assembled by the hydrothermal method followed by calcination treatment. The morphological and structural analysis of the synthesized photocatalysts was performed by FTIR, XRD, XPS, UV-Vis DRS, SEM/EDX, and Raman spectroscopy. The effectiveness of the synthesized nanocomposites as photocatalysts was examined through the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB) dye under artificial solar-like radiation. The influence of rGO concentration (5 and 15 wt.%) on TiO2 performance for photodegradation of the different dyes was monitored by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The obtained results showed that the synthesized TiO2@rGO nanocomposites significantly increased the decomposition of RhB and MB compared to the synthesized TiO2 photocatalyst. Furthermore, TiO2@rGO nanocomposite with high contents of rGO (15 wt.%) presented an improved performance in photodegradation of MB (98.1%) and RhB (99.8%) after 120 min of exposition to solar-like radiation. These results could be mainly attributed to the decrease of the bandgap of synthesized TiO2@rGO nanocomposites with the increased contents of rGO. Energy gap (Eg) values of nanocomposites are 2.71 eV and 3.03 eV, when pure TiO2 particles have 3.15 eV. These results show the potential of graphene-based TiO2 nanocomposite to be explored as a highly efficient solar light-driven photocatalyst for water purification.

Photocatalytic Lime Render for Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality Improvement

This article reports a novel photocatalytic lime render for indoor and outdoor air quality improvement that is composed of a lime binder and doped TiO2 (KRONOClean 7000®) nanoparticles. These nanoparticles were distributed throughout the bulk of the finishing render, instead of as a thin coating, thus ensuring the durability of the photocatalytic properties upon superficial damage. The physical properties of these renders were not affected by the addition of nanoparticles except in the case of surface area, which increased significantly. In terms of their photocatalytic activity, these novel lime renders were shown to degrade up to 12% NOx under UV light and up to 11% formaldehyde under visible light.

Efficiencies Evaluation of Photocatalytic Paints Under Indoor and Outdoor Air Conditions

The removal of indoor and outdoor air pollutants is crucial to prevent environmental and health issues. Photocatalytic building materials are an energy-sustainable technology that can completely oxidize pollutants, improving in situ the air quality of contaminated sites. In this work, different photoactive TiO₂ catalysts (anatase or modified anatase) and amounts were used to formulate photocatalytic paints in replacement of the normally used TiO₂ (rutile) pigment. These paints were tested in two different experimental systems simulating indoor and outdoor environments. In one, indoor illumination conditions were used in the photoreactor for the oxidation of acetaldehyde achieving conversions between 37 and 55%. The other sets of experiments were performed under simulated outdoor radiation for the degradation of nitric oxide, resulting in conversions between 13 and 35%. This wide range of conversions made it difficult to directly compare the paints. Thus, absorption, photonic, and quantum efficiencies were calculated to account for the paints photocatalytic performance. It was found that the formulations containing carbon-doped TiO₂ presented the best efficiencies. The paint with the maximum amount of this photocatalyst showed the highest absorption and photonic efficiencies. On the other hand, the paint with the lowest amount of carbon-doped TiO₂ presented the highest value of quantum efficiency, thus becoming the optimal formulation in terms of energy use.

Assessment of an intrinsic kinetic model for TiO2–formic acid photodegradation using LEDs as a radiation source

Intrinsic kinetic parameters for two photocatalysts, one of them modified with carbon, were estimated to model HCOOH photodegradation using LEDs with different emission spectra.

Regarding the Nature of Charge Carriers Formed by UV or Visible Light Excitation of Carbon-Modified Titanium Dioxide

Although titanium dioxide gathers many of the required properties for its application in photocatalytic processes, its lack of activity in the visible range is a major hurdle yet to be overcome. Among different strategies, the post-synthesis modification of TiO2 powders with organic compounds has already led to commercially available materials, such as KRONOClean 7000. In this work, we apply diffuse reflectance transient absorption spectroscopy on this visible-light active photocatalyst and study the dynamics of the charge carriers alternatively induced by UV or visible light laser irradiation, under inert or reactive atmospheres. Our results can be interpreted by considering the material as TiO2 sensitized by an organic-based layer, in agreement with previous studies on it, and show that the oxidative power of the material is considerably diminished under visible light irradiation. By complementarily performing continuous visible light irradiation photocatalysis experiments in aerated aqueous suspensions, we show that, although the oxidation of methanol proceeds at a very slow rate, the oxidation of chlorpromazine occurs much faster thanks to its better suited redox potential.

Light-Induced Reactions of Chlorpromazine in the Presence of a Heterogeneous Photocatalyst: Formation of a Long-Lasting Sulfoxide

A commercial carbon-modified titanium dioxide, KRONOClean 7000, was applied as a UV(A) and visible-light active photocatalyst to investigate the conversion of the antipsychotic pharmaceutical chlorpromazine in aqueous phase employing two monochromatic light sources emitting at wavelengths of 365 and 455 nm. Photocatalytic and photolytic conversion of chlorpromazine under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions was analyzed using a HPLC-MS technique. Depending on the irradiation wavelength and presence of oxygen, varying conversion rates and intermediates revealing different reaction pathways were observed. Upon visible light irradiation under aerobic conditions, chlorpromazine was only converted in the presence of the photocatalyst. No photocatalytic conversion of this compound under anaerobic conditions upon visible light irradiation was observed. Upon UV(A) irradiation, chlorpromazine was successfully converted into its metabolites in both presence and absence of the photocatalyst. Most importantly, chlorpromazine sulfoxide, a very persistent metabolite of chlorpromazine, was produced throughout the photolytic and photocatalytic conversions of chlorpromazine under aerobic conditions. Chlorpromazine sulfoxide was found to be highly stable under visible light irradiation even in the presence of the photocatalyst. Heterogeneous photocatalysis under UV(A) irradiation resulted in a slow decrease of the sulfoxide concentration, however, the required irradiation time for its complete removal was found to be much longer compared to the removal of chlorpromazine at the same initial concentration.

Solid-Gas Phase Photo-Catalytic Behaviour of Rutile and TiOn (1 < n < 2) Sub-Oxide Phases for Self-Cleaning Applications

The solid-gas phase photo-catalytic activities of rutile TiO₂ and TiO_n (1 < n < 2) sub-oxide phases have been evaluated. Varying concentrations of Ti³⁺ defects were introduced into the rutile polymorph of titanium dioxide through carbo-thermal reduction at temperatures ranging from 350 °C to 1300 °C. The resulting sub-oxides formed were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, impedance spectroscopy and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The presence of Ti³⁺ in rutile exposed to high reduction temperatures was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. In addition, a Ti³⁺-Ti⁴⁺ system was demonstrated to enhance the photo-catalytic properties of rutile for the degradation of the air pollutants NO₂ and CO₂ under UV irradiation of wavelengths (λ) 376–387 nm and 381–392 nm. The optimum reduction temperature for photo-catalytic activity was within the range 350–400 °C and attributed to improved charge-separation. The materials that were subject to carbo-thermal reduction at temperatures of 350 °C and 400 °C exhibited electrical conductivities over one hundred times higher compared to the non-reduced rutile. The results highlight that sub-oxide phases form an important alternative approach to doping with other elements to improve the photo-catalytic performance of TiO₂. Such materials are important for applications such as self-cleaning where particles can be incorporated into surface coatings.

Effect of samarium and vanadium co-doping on structure, ferroelectric and photocatalytic properties of bismuth titanate

A systematic analysis of the structure, ferroelectricity and photocatalytic activity (PCA) of Sm and V modified Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ was performed. Highly reproducible gas–solid phase PCA of NO_x abatement and improved ferroelectricity were achieved.

Enhanced activity of α-Fe2O3 for photocatalytic NO removal

Unique electrospun α-Fe₂O₃ fibers of singular nano-architecture were obtained exhibiting a highly enhanced NO conversion photocatalytic efficiency