We oxidized the surface of titanium foils to titanium oxide by using a proprietary chemical treatment (CT foils). Our process creates a tightly adhered photocatalytic surface. The CT foils produce destructive, photocatalytic radicals, oxidants, and reductants, (ROR) when illuminated with UV light. Our CT foils obviate the need for TiO2 nanoparticles in solution, which are difficult to recover from water, after decontamination takes place. We added iodide (I-) to the decontaminating solution in order to generate destructive 'iodine based ROR' species, which enhanced the destruction of a methylene blue (MB) 'model' target.  Our results with a CT foil, photocatalytic, I- protocol enabled the destruction of ~100% of the MB target in 2-3 minutes. We utilized a ~5mW/cm2 365nm UV lamp, which was similar in UV intensity to long-wave solar output, inferring that ambient solar UV can drive the decontamination of water. Our data shows that binding of MB to the CT foil surface also occurs, and that such binding increases the efficacy of destruction.

Photocatalytic decontamination of water is modeled when a methylene blue target is rapidly destroyed by UV illumination of a TiO<sub>2</sub> surface coated onto a titanium metal foil: The concomitant generation of iodine radicals enhances photocatalytic destruction

247th National Meeting (2014)

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Photocatalytic decontamination of water is modeled when a methylene blue target is rapidly destroyed by UV illumination of a TiO2 surface coated onto a titanium metal foil: The concomitant generation of iodine radicals enhances photocatalytic destruction

Photocatalytic decontamination of water is modeled when a methylene blue target is rapidly destroyed by UV illumination of a TiO₂ surface coated onto a titanium metal foil: The concomitant generation of iodine radicals enhances photocatalytic destruction