Dec 3, 2024
2:15pm - 2:30pm
Hynes, Level 3, Room 300
Erik Greve1,Tim Tjards1,Marie Elis1,Jonas Lumma1,Salih Veziroglu1,Rainer Adelung1,Franz Faupel1,Fabian Schütt1
Kiel University1
Erik Greve1,Tim Tjards1,Marie Elis1,Jonas Lumma1,Salih Veziroglu1,Rainer Adelung1,Franz Faupel1,Fabian Schütt1
Kiel University1
Titanium dioxide (TiO<sub>2</sub>) has emerged as a leading photocatalyst for solar energy conversion and environmental applications due to its high stability, non-toxicity, and suitability for carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) reduction [1]. This study presents synthesis and characterization of a novel TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalyst with enhanced mass transport properties to improve photocatalytic performance in continuous reactors. TiO<sub>2</sub>-Aerogels, with their high surface area and porosity, show potential for enhancing photocatalytic applications, especially in flow-through photoreactors. However, the small pore size (< 1 µm) of TiO<sub>2</sub>-Aerogels limits their effectiveness due to purely diffusive mass transport [2]. To overcome this limitation, a highly open porous and interconnected TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalyst was synthesized through liquid phase deposition (LPD) adopted from Mbulanga et al. [3] on a sacrificial tetrapodal zinc oxide (t-ZnO) backbone. The resulting framework aeromaterial (FAM) features pores with diameters between 1 µm and 100 µm, a density of 0.03 g/cm<sup>3</sup> (99.3% porosity), and a gravimetric surface area of approximately 40,000 cm<sup>2</sup>/g. Unlike common TiO<sub>2</sub>-aerogels, this synthesis route produces an interconnected open-porous structure capable of withstanding gas flow velocities up to 0.16 m/s.<br/>Characterization of the synthesized TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalysts was conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The findings reveal a highly porous structure predominantly in the anatase phase post heat treatment at 500°C for 4 hours. Photocatalytic performance was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue under UV light irradiation (365 nm), with the highly porous TiO<sub>2</sub> demonstrating superior weight-specific activity compared to Degussa P25-TiO<sub>2</sub>. Additionally, a flow-through reactor was designed for the continuous decomposition of methylene blue, showcasing the practical capabilities of FAM-TiO<sub>2</sub> in real-world applications. These results highlight the potential of the synthesized TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalyst for enhanced photocatalytic performance in environmental and energy applications, particularly in solar fuel production such as hydrogen and e-fuels.<br/>[1] Zhang, T. et al. <b>Chinese Journal of Catalysis</b>, 43, 2022, 2500–2529<br/>[2] Matter, F. et al. <b>Chem. Mater.</b>, 35, 2023, 7995–8008<br/>[3] Mbulanga, C.M. et al. <b>Appl. Phys. A</b>, 126, 2020, 1–14