TiO2-doped resorcinol–formaldehyde (RF) polymer and carbon gels with photocatalytic activity

Abstract

Resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) polymer gels offer a relatively easy and versatile route for incorporating metals into a carbon aerogel matrix. The hybrid materials thus obtained are ideal candidates for applications involving enhanced adsorption or catalysis. This paper presents a detailed study of Ti-doped RF and carbon aerogels. The metal was introduced into the system at three different stages of the preparation process: during polymerization, by impregnation of the RF gel, or by impregnation of the carbon gel. The structure and morphology of the samples are compared using low temperature N2 adsorption, SEM, and small and wide angle X-Ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) methods. The TiO2-doped carbon aerogels display photocatalytic activity in breaking down aromatic compounds.