Abstract
The photocatalytic performance of photocatalytic cement-based materials (PCM) is significantly limited because the photocatalytic reaction is mainly focused on the surface of PCM. In the present research, a porous structure is designed to facilitate the transport of light and pollutants inside PCM, enhancing photocatalytic performance. The NO removal capacity of porous PCM is measured; the pore structure is characterized by total porosity and BET; the nano-TiO2 content and distribution are analyzed by SEM-EDS. Results showed that the photocatalytic performance of PCM is enhanced by the growth of total porosity. Specifically, the increase of total porosity from 26.5% to 61.4%, NO removal rate is promoted from 525 μmol m−2·h−1 to 1133 μmol m−2·h−1, with an increase by 115%. As the total porosity is increased, the specific surface area and mesopore volume of PCM is augmented simultaneously. The increase in the specific surface area can activate the photocatalytic activity of nano-TiO2 partially located inside the PCM, thereby heightening the photocatalytic reaction depth of the PCM. Moreover, the increase in the mesopore volume can enhance the adsorption capacity for pollutants, thereby promoting the full occurrence of photocatalytic reactions in PCM. Such results provide support to the design of PCM with high photocatalytic performance.
Published Version
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