Photocatalytic Oxidation of VOCs in Gas Phase Using Capillary Microreactors with Commercial TiO2 (P25) Fillings.

Fernández-Catalá, Javier; Berenguer-Murcia, Ángel; Cazorla-Amorós, Diego

The elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at low concentration is a subject of great interest because these compounds are very harmful for the environment and human health. In this work, we have developed an easy methodology to immobilize a benchmark photocatalyst (P25) inside a capillary microreactor (Fused silica capillary with UV transparent coating) without any previous treatment. For this purpose, a dispersion of the sample (P25) in EtOH was used obtaining a packed bed configuration. We have improved the immobilization of the benchmark photocatalyst (P25) inside the capillary incorporating a surfactant (F-127) to generate porosity inside the microreactor to avoid severe pressure drops (∆P 2 production rate (mole CO2/(mole P25·s)) with respect to the same TiO2 operating in a conventional reactor. The microreactor with low pressure drop is very interesting for the abatement of the VOCs since it improves the photoactivity of P25 per mol of TiO2 operating at near atmospheric pressure.

PHOTOCATALYTIC oxidation; VOLATILE organic compounds; TITANIUM oxides; PROPENE; SCANNING electron microscopy

Materials (1996-1944), 2018, Vol 11, Issue 7, p1149

1996-1944

Academic Journal

10.3390/ma11071149