IFIMAR   20926
INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIONES FISICAS DE MAR DEL PLATA
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
The role of nanoparticulate agglomerates in TiO2 photocatalysis: degradation of oxalic acid
Autor/es:
MENDIVE C.; BAHNEMANN D.; IVANOVA I.
Revista:
JOURNAL OF NANOPARTICLE RESEARCH
Editorial:
SPRINGER
Referencias:
Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2016 vol. 18 p. 1 - 13
ISSN:
1388-0764
Resumen:
The simultaneous bimodal study of the photocatalytic oxalic acid degradation by aqueous TiO2 suspensions revealed that particular systems possess the capacity to protect a certain amount of oxalic acid from oxidation, thus hindering, to some extent, the photocatalytic reaction. While measurements of the oxalic acid concentration in the bulk liquid phase indicated full photocatalytic degradation; in situ pH-stat measurements allowed the quantification of the amount of oxalic acid remaining in the part of the nanoparticulate agglomerates where light could apparently not access. An explanation for this phenomenontakes into account the possibility of the formation of TiO2 agglomerates in which thesemolecules are hidden from the effect of the light, thus being protected from photocatalytic degradation. Studies of different TiO2 materials with different particle sizes allowed a deeper exploration of this phenomenon. In addition, because this property of encapsulating pollutant molecules by photocatalytic systems is found to be a reversible phenomenon, P25appears to be more convenient and advantageous as compared to the use of large surface area photocatalysts.