Coating of TiO₂ nanoparticles in the surface of transparent plastic grains and its aplication for photocatalyst under solar irraidation

Abstract

A cylinder milling has been modified by adding a heating controller for coating TiO2 photocatalyst on the surface of polymer at constant temperature. By testing the polystyrene, polypropylene, and linear-low-density polyethylene polymer density before and after coating, it is obtained that polypropylene polymer is suitable for polymer-coated TiO2 because the surface is transparent and can remain floating on the surface of water although it has been coated with TiO2 catalyst. Coating process of TiO2 nanoparticles on the surface of the polypropylene is performed through three stages, that is stirring while heating in the cylinder milling, washing, and drying. The coating temperature is 1100C for 90 minutes. Photocatalytic activity was observed by testing the photodegradation of methylene blue dissolved in water using a container with a surface area 750 cm2 and illuminated by sunlight for 12 days. The experiment was done at 6 containers with similar volume and area and variable amount of catalyst, which is without catalyst (0 g) to 5 layer of catalyst (550 g). From the colour, turbidity, and UV-Vis characterization, the methylene blue decomposition effectively occurred with amount of 220 g catalyst (2layer of catalyst).