Photo-assisted degradation of 2-propanol in gas–solid regime by using TiO 2 impregnated with heteropolyacid H 3PW 12O 40

Abstract

Commercial and home prepared TiO 2 samples impregnated with tungstophosphoric acid (H 3PW 12O 40) were used for the photo-assisted degradation of 2-propanol in gas–solid regime. The characterization results evidenced a good coverage of the polyoxometalate (POM) onto the surface of TiO 2 along with a marginal effect of the presence of the POM on the specific surface area, morphology and cristallinity of the samples. Propene was the main intermediate product revealed in 2-propanol photocatalytic degradation by using as photocatalysts the samples containing the POM, whereas propanone was mainly obtained when the photocatalysts was bare TiO 2, both commercial or home prepared. Acetaldehyde was also found as an intermediate product along with traces of isopropyl ether, mesityl oxide and isobutyl-methyl-ketone that were also detected as gaseous products in all the runs. Carbon dioxide and water were the ultimate oxidation products.