Photocatalytic reaction using novel inorganic polymer derived packed bed microreactor with modified TiO2 microbeads

Abstract

We report that glass like microreactor fabricated with inorganic polymer, allylhydridopolycarbosilane, having optical transparency and solvent resistance, via economic microimprinting process, was evaluated for photocatalytic degradation of 4-chlrophenol with TiO2 photocatalysts. In comparison with commercial microreactor made of glass, inorganic polymer reactor packed with TiO2 photocatalyst nanoparticles showed only 6% lower photochemical reaction performance. To enhance the catalytic effectiveness of microreactor than those of glass or film type microreactors coated with TiO2 nanoparticles, we prepared packed bed type microreactor with TiO2 coated microbeads that have high mechanical stability and surface area through sol–gel reaction to get uniformity. Eventually the performance of the fabricated inorganic microreactors, was investigated in a comparative manner to that of glass-based microreactor. The sterilization performance of Escherichia coli was demonstrated with inorganic polymer microreactor which was packed with TiO2 microbeads. It is for the first time, that the surface modified TiO2 beads packed bed inorganic polymer-based microreactors fabricated via a cheap and simple technique demonstrated the reliable microchemical performance, which is very promising for developing an integrated microfluidics by taking advantage of available microstructuring techniques of the polymers.