Photo-catalytic oxidation of acetone on a TiO2 powder: An in situ FTIR investigation

Abstract

In situ transmission infrared spectroscopy was used to investigate the photo-oxidation of acetone on a commercial, oxidized TiO2 (P25) powder catalyst under UV irradiation at ambient temperature, in the absence and presence of gas phase O2. The photochemistry of a number of organic molecules (2-butanone, methanol and acetic acid,) under the same conditions was also studied in order to identify reaction intermediates and products formed in the photo-oxidation of acetone. Under anaerobic conditions (in the absence of gas phase oxygen) limited extent of photo-oxidation of acetone took place on the oxidized TiO2 sample. In the presence of O2 in the gas phase, however, acetone was completely converted to acetates and formates, and ultimately CO2. The initial step in the sequence of photo-induced reactions is the ejection of a methyl radical, resulting in the formation of surface acetates (from the acetyl group) and formates (from the methyl radicals). Acetate ions are also converted to formates, that, in turn, photo-oxidized to CO2. Under the experimental conditions applied the accumulation of carbonates and bicarbonates were observed on the TiO2 surface as the photo-oxidation of acetone proceeded (this was also observed during the course of photo-oxidation of all the other organics studied here). When the initial radical ejection step produced hydrocarbons containing more than one C atoms (as in the case in 2-butanone and mesytil oxide), the formation of aldehydes on the catalyst surface was also observed as a result of secondary reactions.