Titanium dioxide is an effective photocatalysis for the degradation of organicsin air and water under UV illumination. An effective platform for continuous flowreactors uses anatase TiO2 prepared in the form of thin films, which obviatethe need for separation of effluent and powders that are more commonlystudied. One disadvantage of TiO2 films is that the surface area is low relative tonanoscale powders and therefore the surface reduction/oxidation chemistry lesseffective. In order to overcome this limitation, we postulate that if the organicsare trapped close to the TiO2 surface there will be a greater probability ofreaction. The hydrophobic nature of pure silica MFI's porous structure improvesthe retention of organic molecules close to the anatase surface, which mayimprove the effectiveness of photodegradation. To examine this hypothesis,polycrystalline anatase films were prepared using TiF4 under aqueousconditions. Next, zeolite MFI was synthesized on and sintered to the thin anatasefilm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were usedto characterize the films throughout the syntheses. Gas chromatography (GC)was used to study the degradation products after irradiation. By illuminatinga bilayered film with ultraviolet light in the presence of an organic compound,improved efficiency of photocatalytic degradation of the organic molecule isexpected. This report will focus on the characterization of novel TiO2-MFIcomposite films and preliminary results on the photo-induced decomposition oforganics.

Combined bilayered MFI zeolite and anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> thin films for degradation of organics

248th National Meeting (2014)

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Combined bilayered MFI zeolite and anatase TiO2 thin films for degradation of organics

Combined bilayered MFI zeolite and anatase TiO₂ thin films for degradation of organics