Supporting Materials for Immobilisation of Nano-photocatalysts

Low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma deposition of TiO2-based nanocomposite coatings on open-cell polymer foams for photocatalytic water treatment

“…Research in this field has long been dominated by the use of freely suspended nano-and microparticles of semiconductor metal oxides, due to the high surface-to-volume ratios and mass transfer rates offered by well-mixed slurry photocatalytic systems [1][2][3][4][5]. However, over the years, everincreasing efforts have been devoted to achieve the permanent and efficient immobilization of photocatalysts onto suitable supports [2,[4][5][6][7][8]. Interestingly, photocatalyst immobilization not only facilitates the separation and recovery of the catalyst from the treated solution, but can also enable the operation of continuous-flow photocatalytic reactors [2,[4][5][6][7][8].…”

“…However, over the years, everincreasing efforts have been devoted to achieve the permanent and efficient immobilization of photocatalysts onto suitable supports [2,[4][5][6][7][8]. Interestingly, photocatalyst immobilization not only facilitates the separation and recovery of the catalyst from the treated solution, but can also enable the operation of continuous-flow photocatalytic reactors [2,[4][5][6][7][8]. Therefore, numerous studies have been focused, for instance, on the deposition of TiO 2 -based thin films [6][7][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] (e.g., TiO 2 thin films and TiO 2 -containing nanocomposite coatings) on many different immobilization supports, which include both inorganic and polymeric materials (e.g., glass, silica, carbon black, ceramics, natural and synthetic polymers) in various forms, such as plates, beads, granules, fibers, fabrics, membranes, foams, scaffolds, etc.…”

ZnO Polymeric Composite Films for n-Decane Removal from Air Streams in a Continuous Flow NETmix Photoreactor under UVA Light

“…This can be mainly associated with the better exposure of the catalyst to UVA light, in addition to a lower mass transfer resistance when compared to the polymeric structure. However, this result may differ for other contaminants, since the polymer may favor the pollutant adsorption, resulting in higher photocatalytic oxidation rates [ 4 ].…”

“…Research has mainly been focused on the development of advanced photocatalytic materials and their immobilization in inert supports or its incorporation in substrates (composite materials), towards a substantially higher photocatalytic activity and avoiding post-treatment steps, respectively [ 2 , 3 ]. It is worth noticing that, when using composite materials, the process must be optimized in order to mitigate possible decreases in photocatalytic efficiency (e.g., increased mass transfer resistance, low catalyst homogeneity distribution, and reduced photocatalyst surface area exposed to light) [ 4 ].…”

Floating ZnO QDs-Modified TiO2/LLDPE Hybrid Polymer Film for the Effective Photodegradation of Tetracycline under Fluorescent Light Irradiation: Synthesis and Characterisation

“…This relates to the common use of a powdered form of the photocatalysts, where they function as suspended colloidal particles in wastewater to degrade the organic contaminants. Other drawbacks include low light utilisation efficiency of the suspended photocatalyst; aggregation of catalytic particles, especially at higher concentrations, and potential human health problems associated with the fate and transport of dispersed powder and its mobility [ 10 , 11 ]. These drawbacks limit their application in large-scale commercial production.…”