Stabilizations of molecular structures and mechanical properties of PVC and wood/PVC composites by Tinuvin and TiO2 stabilizers

Three different UV stabilizers, 2‐(2H‐benzotriazol‐2‐yl)‐4,6‐ditertpentylphenol (Tinuvin XT833), 2‐(2H‐benzotriazol‐2‐yl)‐p‐cresol (Tinuvin P), or rutile–titanium dioxide (TiO₂) were incorporated into poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and wood/PVC (WPVC) composite, and mechanical and physical properties and photostabilities were monitored. The polyene and carbonyl sequences of PVC increased with UV weathering time and with presence of wood flour. The yellowness index increased because of polyene and carbonyl productions, whereas the brightness increased because of the photobleaching of lignin in wood. The photostabilities of PVC and WPVC could be improved through the use of UV stabilizers. Tinuvin P was recommended in this work as the most effective stabilizer for PVC and WPVC composites. The stabilization effect was interfered by presence of wood particles. The mechanical property changes corresponded well to the structural changes under UV for neat PVC. For WPVC composites, the presence of wood particles played more significant effect on the mechanical properties during UV aging than the UV stabilizer. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Effect of the combination of a benzotriazole‐type ultraviolet absorber with thermal stabilizers on the photodegradation of poly(vinyl chloride)

The effect of the combination of a benzotriazole type of UV absorber (UV326) with different types of thermal stabilizers, including an organic calcium complex and an organotin mercaptide, on the photodegradation of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was investigated by color difference measurements, UV‐vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and viscosity‐average molecular weight (M_η) determinations. Films of PVC containing 0.5 phr of UV326, with or without 2 phr of thermal stabilizer, were prepared by solution casting and subjected to accelerated UV weathering under xenon light with an irradiance of 0.51 W/(m² nm) at 65°C. The results revealed that both UV326 and the mixture of UV326 with the organic calcium complex displayed good performance in inhibiting the photodehydrochlorination and photooxidation of PVC. In contrast, the combination of UV326 and the methyltin mercaptide remarkably accelerated the discoloration of PVC when the irradiation time increased from 300 to 400 h because of the UV sensitivity of the organotin. However, carbonyl index data indicated that a hydrogen abstraction reaction did not take place between UV326 and the methyltin mercaptide, so that the photooxidation of the PVC film was prevented effectively during the whole period of exposure, a result which may be attributed to the strong steric hindrance effect of the tert‐butyl group at the 3‐position of the phenyl ring in UV326. The changes of M_η were in good accordance with the results obtained from other characterizations. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Investigation of lanthanum trioxypurine with zinc stearate and pentaerythritol as complex thermal stabilizers for poly(vinyl chloride)

Lanthanum trioxypurine (LaTr) was triumphantly synthesized by reacting trioxypurine and lanthanum nitrate at neutral condition and was characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The thermal stability effect of LaTr with its assistant thermal stabilizers about zinc stearate (ZnSt₂) and pentaerythritol (Pe) on poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was investigated by Congo red test, discoloration test, UV–vis spectroscopy test, and thermal decomposition kinetics. The results showed that the addition of LaTr as thermal stabilizer could significantly enhance static stability time and long‐term stability of PVC. It could be mainly attributed to the anions in the structure of LaTr, could efficiently absorb the hydrogen chloride released by PVC, and have ability to replace unstable chlorine atoms on structure of PVC. Moreover, the mixing of LaTr, Pe, and ZnSt₂ could reveal an excellent synergistic effect and both promote the initial color and the long‐term thermal stability of PVC. The thermal stability of PVC reached the optimal state when the ratio of LaTr/Pe/ZnSt₂ was 1.8/0.6/0.6. In addition, compared with the reaction energy E_a and UV–vis spectroscopy test's result of PVC samples, the order of PVC's thermal stability was PVC/LaTr/Pe/ZnSt₂ > PVC/LaTr/Pe > PVC/LaTr. The result was further ascertained that LaTr/Pe/ZnSt₂ showed excellent synergistic effect and could be used as an excellent complex thermal stabilizer for PVC. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 25:347–358, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Decomposition of gas‐phase aromatic hydrocarbons by applying an annular‐type reactor coated with sulfur‐doped photocatalyst under visible‐light irradiation

BACKGROUND: Unlike many water pollution applications, visible‐light‐driven photocatalysis of gas‐phase pollutants has been reported only rarely. The present study was performed to investigate the feasibility of applying S‐doped visible‐light‐induced TiO₂ to treat gas‐phase aromatic hydrocarbons, using a continuous air‐flow annular‐type reactor. RESULTS: The prepared S‐enhanced TiO₂ powders, along with a commercially available TiO₂ powder (Degussa P‐25), were characterized using diffuse reflectance UV‐VIS‐NIR spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometry, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and thermogravimetry (TG) analyses. A photocatalytic activity test exhibited an increasing trend in degradation reaction rates with increase in flow rate but a decreasing trend in terms of degradation efficiencies. Several experimental conditions induced reasonably high decomposition efficiencies with respect to toluene, ethyl benzene and o,m,p‐xylenes (close to or above 90%), although benzene exhibited a somewhat lower decomposition efficiency. CONCLUSIONS: The S‐doped TiO₂ and undoped P25 TiO₂ powders exhibited different catalyst characteristics. The results demonstrate that an annular‐type reactor coated with visible‐light‐activated S‐doped TiO₂ can serve as an effective tool to treat gas‐phase aromatic hydrocarbon streams. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Enhanced Solid‐Phase Photocatalytic Degradation Activity of a Poly(vinyl chloride)‐TiO2 Nanocomposite Film with Bismuth Oxyiodide

A new type of photodegradable poly(vinyl chloride)‐bismuth oxyiodide/TiO₂ (PVC‐BiOI/TiO₂) nanocomposite film was prepared by embedding a nano‐TiO₂ photocatalyst modified by BiOI into the commercial PVC plastic. The solid‐phase photocatalytic degradation behavior of the as‐prepared film was investigated in ambient air at room temperature under UV light irradiation, with the aid of UV‐Vis spectroscopy, weight loss monitoring, scanning electron microscopy, and FT‐IR spectroscopy. Compared to the PVC‐TiO₂ nanocomposite film, the PVC‐BiOI nanocomposite film and the pure PVC film, the PVC‐BiOI/TiO₂ nanocomposite film exhibited a higher photocatalytic degradation activity. The optimal mass ratio of BiOI to TiO₂ was found to be 0.75 %. The weight loss rate of the PVC‐BiOI/TiO₂ nanocomposite film reached 30.8 % after 336 h of irradiation, which is 1.5 times higher than that of the PVC‐TiO₂ nanocomposite film under identical conditions. The solid‐phase photocatalytic degradation mechanism of the nanocomposite films was briefly discussed.     

Design of green zinc‐based thermal stabilizers derived from tung oil fatty acid and study of thermal stabilization for PVC

In this study, a new type of mixed calcium (Ca) and zinc (Zn) thermal stabilizers was prepared and evaluated for poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) thermal stabilization. The mixed stabilizers were based on the Ca and Zn salts of polycarboxylic acid derived from eleostearic acid—the dominant fatty acid of tung oil fatty acids. Eleostearic acid was converted to a 21‐carbon diacid (C21DA) and a 22‐carbon triacid (C22TA), respectively, which were subsequently turned into calcium (Ca) and zinc (Zn) salts. Thermal stability of PVC compounds was examined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), discoloration test, Congo red test, and thermal decomposition kinetics. In comparison, commercial mixed Ca/Zn thermal stabilizers composed of stearate salts (CaSt₂/ZnSt₂), were employed as controls. Because the salts of C21DA, C22TA and stearate have different metal contents, thermal stabilization effects were compared on the basis of both equal salt weight and equal metal ion content. It was noted that under both cases the long‐term thermal stability of the PVC samples followed the order of C21DA‐Ca/C21DA‐Zn > C22TA‐Ca/C22TA‐Zn > CaSt₂/ZnSt₂. The results suggest that the mixed Ca/Zn salts based on tung oil‐derived polycarboxylic acids have higher metal ion contents and cycloaliphatic structures and can effectively improve the thermal stability of PVC. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44679.     

Photocatalytic degradation of flexible PVC/TiO2 nanohybrid as an eco-friendly alternative to the current waste landfill and dioxin-emitting incineration of post-use PVC

Photo-degradable poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)/titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanohybrid has been investigated to be utilized as an eco-friendly alternative strategy to the current waste landfill and toxic byproduct-emitting incineration of PVC wastes. Thus, the present study suggests a novel idea related to preparing the photocatalytically degradable nanohybrid through TiO₂ nanoparticle-integrated hyperbranched poly(ε-caprolactone) (HPCL-TiO₂). The main aim of this study is to find a solution to the unresolved problem in the conventional PVC/TiO₂ composites related to the poor dispersion of the nanoparticles in PVC polymer. First, TiO₂ nanoparticles are prepared by a sol-gel process, and the size of the particle is about 5-10 nm in diameter as measured by using a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The hyperbranched poly(ε-caprolactone) (HPCL) with numerous COOH groups and good miscibility with PVC as a binder for TiO₂ nanoparticles is prepared from moisture-sensitive catalyst-free polymerization of 2,2-bis[ω-hydroxy oligo(ε-caprolactone)methyl]propionic acids followed by modification reaction using pyridinium dichloromate (PDC), then characterized with ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR analyses. The integration of TiO₂ nanoparticles onto HPCL is carried out by a dip-coating method based on the spontaneous self-assembly between TiO₂ nanoparticles and HPCL, and the loading amount of the nanoparticles in the HPCL-TiO₂ is determined to be ca. 3.3 wt% by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Then, the HPCL-TiO₂ is blended with PVC by solution blending in THF as solvent, and the resulting dispersibility of TiO₂ nanoparticle in PVC is characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), which exhibits the TiO₂ nanoparticles are well-dispersed in PVC matrix, while some agglomerates are observed in the PVC/TiO₂ sample prepared from TiO₂ nanoparticle itself. The photocatalytic degradation of the samples are examined and verified from the change of surface morphology, chemical structure, molecular weight, and molecular-level structure after UV irradiation through field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), UV-visible spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). The remarkable photocatalytic degradation is observed in the PVC/HPCL-TiO₂, and the structural change accompanied by the degradation of the irradiated sample can clearly explained.     

Weatherable rigid PVC: The effect of light and thermal stabilizers

Rigid PVC compositions used in outdoor applications such as siding, profiles, windows, and soffit predominantly contain a tin mercaptide thermal stabilizer. It is well known that tin mercaptides impart outstanding thermal stability to vinyl compounds, however, it is also well known that they provide only marginal light stability. Mercaptides can be used in these applications primarily because they are combined with high levels of titanium dioxide. They are not well suited for dark colored PVC and compositions without titanium dioxide. These require a more weatherable thermal stabilizer, such as a tin carboxylate. In this paper, principles for formulating rigid weatherable vinyl will be discussed. The influence of thermal stabilizers and the interdependence of light stabilizers and thermal stabilizers on PVC photostability will be emphasized. Data will be presented showing how one can formulate weatherable dark brown and pastel PVC through the use of tin carboxylate thermal stabilizers, the appropriate light stabilizers, and pigments. Traditional approaches to achieving weatherability will be compared to what can be attained by capitalizing on the latest advances in stabilization technology. Finally, methods for reducing TiO₂ concentration will be shown.     

Polyaniline modified mesoporous titanium dioxide that enhances oxo‐biodegradation of polyethylene films for agricultural plastic mulch application

Mesoporous titanium dioxide (M‐TiO₂) nanoparticles were successfully prepared followed by chemical modification with different contents of polyaniline (PANI/M‐TiO₂) and were used to accelerate the photo‐oxidation and biodegradation process of low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) film. The influence of these additives as a pro‐oxidant additive on the accelerated degradation of LDPE was investigated by photocatalytic oxidation under UV light irradiation and biodegradation with fungal strains. It was found that the as‐prepared PANI modified M‐TiO₂ particles exhibited an obvious light response from 400 to 800 nm which can improve the utilization of solar light. Compared with M‐TiO₂, PANI/M‐TiO₂ exhibited better photocatalytic performance when irradiated under UV light and the subsequent biodegradation efficiency was enhanced. Enhancement of the photocatalytic performance of PANI/M‐TiO₂ could be attributed to good dispersibility and compatibility of PANI/M‐TiO₂ in the LDPE matrix, a narrow band gap, effective separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs and the chromophoric group of PANI which was used as a photosensitizer in the LDPE/PANI/M‐TiO₂ composite film. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Surface topography and cooling effects in poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)/titanium dioxide (TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>) composites exposed to UV-irradiation

Rutile titanium dioxide (TiO₂), at different amounts (0, 1, 3, 5, 8 and 10 phr), was used to prepare PVC/TiO₂ composites as cool materials. Exposure to the ultraviolet (UV)-irradiation at 65 °C (black-panel thermometers) with a xenon arc as the light source (0.51 W/(m² nm), 340 nm) for 200, 400 and 600 h resulted in the formation of polyene structure in PVC and causing discoloration. Besides, atomic force microscopy and roughness measurements were used to examine the changes in surface topography and roughness before and after UV-irradiation. Ethylenic index was used to characterize the aging degree of composites. The contact angle value of composites became smaller and their polarity increased after exposing to UV-irradiation, but the presence of TiO₂ effectively prevented this process. In addition, exposure to UV-irradiation had little effect on the reflectance of PVC/TiO₂ composites over the whole solar wavelength range (200–2500 nm), especially in near infrared (NIR) region (700–2500 nm). This allowed the TiO₂-loaded samples to display an excellent cooling property whether indoors or outdoors. The addition of higher quantities of TiO₂ led to higher efficiency of the cooling effect. In general, this study provides strong support for the property of long-term outdoor use of PVC/TiO₂ composites with high solar reflectance and excellent cooling performance.     

Phosphate ester groups‐containing ricinoleic acid‐based Ca/Zn: Preparation and application as novel thermal stabilizer for PVC

Phosphate ester groups containing ricinoleic acid‐based Ca/Zn (LPPRA‐Ca and LPPRA‐Zn) stabilizer was successfully synthesized from ricinoleic acid (RA) and used as thermal stabilizers for poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). These thermal stabilizers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance, and inductively‐coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. The effects of LPPRA‐Ca/LPPRA‐Zn, CaSt₂/ZnSt₂, and other stabilizers on the thermal stability of PVC were studied through Congo Red test, discoloration tests, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), TGA–infrared, and TGA–mass spectrometry. The thermal stability tests show that LPPRA‐Ca/LPPRA‐Zn displays the best initial color stability and long‐term thermal stability for PVC. The superior performance is attributed to the synergistic effect of LPPRA‐Ca and LPPRA‐Zn. Moreover, a lower Zinc content of LPPRA‐Zn in PVC helps to decrease the “zipper dehydrochlorination” of the product, which contributes to a better initial thermal stability. Except for the better stabilization performance, LPPRA‐Ca/LPPRA‐Zn also displays better plasticization performance for PVC compared with other stabilizers. A possible stabilizing mechanism of PVC/LPPRA‐Ca/LPPRA‐Zn system was presented. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45940.     

Synthesis and characterization of a bisbenzotriazole derivative and its application in PVC as an ultraviolet absorber

A novel ultraviolet (UV) absorber, 5,5′‐disulfide‐bis[2‐(2‐hydroxy‐3,5‐di‐tert‐butylphenyl)‐2Hbenzotriazole] (DSBHTBB) was synthesized. Its structure was characterized by FTIR, NMR, UV, FABMS, and elemental analysis. In comparison with the common commercial benzotriazole UV absorbers, the absorption maximum of DSBHTBB (364 nm) is red shifted by about 20 nm, and the molar extinction coefficient (56,800, in CHCl₃) is much greater. With those properties the bisbenzotriazole could be applied as an efficient UV absorber for the protection of polymeric materials and sensitive skin from longer‐wavelength (near‐visible) ultraviolet light. The experimental results showed that DSBHTBB can greatly inhibit the discoloration under irradiation of poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) containing an organic antimony stabilizer. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 13:195–200, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Nanocomposites of PVC/TiO2 nanorods: Surface tension and mechanical properties before and after UV exposure

In this study, nanocomposites of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), using the synthesized titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanorods and commercial nanopowder of titanium dioxide (Degussa P25) were produced by melt blending. The presence of TiO₂ nanorods in PVC matrix led to an improvement in mechanical properties of PVC nanocomposites in comparison with unfilled PVC. The photocatalytic degradation behavior of PVC nanocomposites were investigated by measuring their structural change evaluations, surface tension, and mechanical properties before and after UV exposure for 500 h. It was found that mechanical and physical properties of PVC nanocomposites are not reduced significantly after UV exposure in the presence of TiO₂ nanorods in comparison with the presence of TiO₂ nanoparticles, which can be due to the amorphous structure of the synthesized nanorods. Therefore, it can be concluded that TiO₂ nanorods led to an improvement in photostability and mechanical properties of PVC nanocomposites. The interfacial adhesion between TiO₂ nanorods and PVC matrix was also investigated. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Ionic mechanisms in pulse irradiated poly(vinyl chloride) system containing stabilizing additives

The pulse radiolysis studies of poly(vinyl chloride), PVC, film containing stabilizers i.e., Tinuvin P, Irgastab PVC 11, and Irganox 1076 have been carried out with the main aim of investigating ionic reactions in these systems. The evidences are presented concerning the formation of ionic transients in model solvents i.e. 2‐propanol and sec‐butyl chloride as well as in PVC film. In PVC‐stabilizer system under consideration the additives can contribute to the positive charge transfer processes whereas Tinuvin P, in addition may scavenge effectively electrons (the rate constant for e^?_solv scavenging in 2‐propanol equals 5.9 × 10⁹ mol^?1 dm³ s^?1) influencing the negative charge scavenging by PVC matrix itself and the HCl formation during the radiolysis of PVC. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007     

Photodegradation of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) stabilized by different types of thermal stabilizers

Photodegradation of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) stabilized by different thermal stabilizers including organic calcium complex and mercaptide organotin was investigated. Plasticized PVC sheets prepared by an open twin‐roller mill and plate vulcanizing machine were exposed to xenon‐arc light with the irradiance of 0.51 W/(m²·nm) at 65°C. A much better color stability displayed by mercaptide organotin than organic calcium complex has been confirmed by digital photos and color difference. This can be explained that the more effective mercaptide organotin minimizes the amount of thermal damage from processing thus favours subsequent UV weathering. Carbonyl index and decomposition activation energy (E_a1) obtained from attenuated total refection‐Fourier transform infrared spectra (ATR‐FTIR) and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, respectively, further indicate that plasticized PVC sheets containing mercaptide organotin have more excellent UV resistance. Mechanical tests reveal that photodegradation of PVC is accompanied by the predominant process of chain scission on the surface of samples. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Effect of titanium dioxide on the UV‐C ageing behavior of silicone rubber

The ultraviolet (UV)‐C ageing behavior of silicone rubber (SiR) incorporated with titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano‐TiO₂) was studied under UV‐C radiation. The SiR incorporated with nano‐TiO₂ displayed excellent physical properties when exposed to UV‐C radiation. With the increase of the ageing time, the SiR with nano‐TiO₂ showed no significant change in crosslinking density and Shore A hardness. Moreover, compared with the SiR without nano‐TiO₂, the SiR incorporated with nano‐TiO₂ also exhibited high retention ratio in tensile properties, especially elongation at break. It was found that nano‐TiO₂ was a good ultraviolet light stabilizer during the UV ageing process of SiR and the optimum content of nano‐TiO₂ was 2 phr. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed the appearance of O? H and C?O and the decrease of the intensity of SiC₂O₂ in SiR samples during the process of UV‐C ageing. Based on these results, a possible UV ageing mechanism of SiR could be proposed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46099.     

Synthesis and visible‐light‐derived photocatalysis of titania nanosphere stacking layers prepared by chemical vapor deposition

BACKGROUND: In this study, visible‐light‐derived photocatalytic activity of metal‐doped titanium dioxide nanosphere (TS) stacking layers, prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), was investigated. The as‐grown TS spheres, having an average diameter of 100–300 nm, formed a layer‐by‐layer stacking layer on a glass substrate. The crystalline structures of the TS samples were of anatase‐type. RESULTS: Ultraviolet (UV) absorption confirmed that metallic doping (i.e. Co and Ni) shifted the light absorption of the spheres to the visible‐light region. With increasing dopant density, the optical band gap of the nanospheres became narrower, e.g. the smallest band gap of Co‐doped TS was 2.61 eV. Both Ni‐ and Co‐doped TS catalysts showed a photocatalytic capability in decomposing organic dyes under visible irradiation. In comparison, Co‐doped TiO₂ catalyst not only displays the adsorption capacity, but also the photocatalytic activity higher than the N‐doped TiO₂ catalyst. CONCLUSION: This result can be attributed to the fact that the narrower band gap easily generates electron–hole pairs over the TS catalysts under visible irradiation, thus, leading to the higher photocatalytic activity. Accordingly, this study shed some light on the one‐step efficient CVD approach to synthesize metal‐doped TS catalysts for decomposing dye compounds in aqueous solution. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Characterization and conductivity studies of nanocomposite films with polymer networks containing polyaniline‐alginate/titanium dioxide

Polyaniline nanocomposite films were chemically synthesized in the presence of alginate template by varying the concentration of TiO₂ in the composites. Characterization of the composite samples by FTIR, UV‐Vis spectra (UV), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) indicates the formation of polyaniline‐alginate/titanium dioxide (PAT) composites. The morphology analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) also supports the formation of the composites. Temperature‐dependent DC conductivity of the polyaniline‐alginate (PA) and PAT composites was studied in the range of 300 ≤ T ≤ 500 K. UV‐Vis and FTIR spectral studies reveal that the alginate is a good template for the chemical interaction between polyaniline and TiO₂, which suggests that the micelles formed by the anilinium‐alginate cations containing TiO₂ are responsible for the transport properties of the PAT composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 31:1754–1761, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Microwave photocatalysis III. Transition metal ion‐doped TiO2 thin films on mercury electrodeless discharge lamps: preparation,characterization and their effect on the photocatalytic degradation of mono‐chloroacetic acid and Rhodamine B

BACKGROUND: Mercury electrodeless discharge lamps (Hg‐EDLs) were used to generate UV radiation when exposed to a microwave field. EDLs were coated with doped TiO₂ in the form of thin films containing transition metal ions Mⁿ⁺ (M = Fe, Co, Ni, V, Cr, Mn, Zr, Ag). Photocatalytic degradation of mono‐chloroacetic acid (MCAA) to HCl, CO₂, and H₂O, and decomposition of Rhodamine B on the thin films were investigated in detail. RESULTS: Polycrystalline thin doped TiO₂ films were prepared by dip‐coating of EDL via a sol–gel method using titanium n‐butoxide, acetylacetone, and a transition metal acetylacetonate. The films were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron microprobe analysis and by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The photocatalytic activity of doped TiO₂ films was monitored in the decomposition of Rhodamine B in water. Compared with the pure TiO₂ film, the UV/Vis spectra of V, Zr and Ag‐doped TiO₂ showed significant absorption in the visible region, and hence the photocatalytic degradation of MCAA had increased. The best apparent degradation rate constant (0.0125 min^?1), which was higher than that on the pure TiO₂ film by a factor of 1.7, was obtained with the Ag(3%)/TiO₂ photocatalyst. The effect of doping level of vanadium acetylacetonate on the photocatalytic efficiency of the V‐doped TiO₂ was determined. CONCLUSIONS: Transition metal ion‐doped TiO₂ thin films showed significant absorption in the visible region. The metal doped TiO₂ photocatalyst (with an appropriate amount of V, Zr and Ag) on the Hg‐EDLs increased the degradation efficiency of MCAA in a microwave field. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Removal of gaseous toluene by using TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> film doped of Ru-dye/Pt in a pilot scale photoreactor

The photodegradation efficiency (PE) of gaseous toluene was investigated by using titanium dioxide (TiO₂) film doped of ruthenium (Ru)-dye/platinum (Pt) in a 3,600 L pilot reactor. Ru-dye was applied as a sensitizer to enhance PE of toluene in both UV and visible wavelength range since its major peaks are 225 nm, 325 nm, 375 nm, and 525 nm. PE by using Pt/TiO₂ was more enhanced since Pt plays a role as an electron trapper in UV light range. The 3.2 μm thickness of TiO₂ film was optimized for the highest PE. The highest PE was 75%, 85%, and 90% by TiO₂, Pt/TiO₂, and Ru-dye/Pt/TiO₂ film, respectively.