Solar Photocatalytic Decontamination of Phenol Using Pyrolytic TiO2 Films Deposited Inside Glass Tubing

Solar photocatalytic degradation of phenol was performed using TiO2 films deposited inside glass tubing by a spray-gel technique. Photocatalytic phenol degradation experiments were performed using either solar radiation or a 300 W lamp simulating the UVA solar radiation component. In order to concentrate the radiation a reflective surface was placed in the rear part of the tube. The obtained TiO2 films were amorphous, but after annealing at 450 degrees C for 1h, the films crystallized to the anatase structure and presented photocatalytic activity The films' morphology, observed ky scanning electron microscopy, presented a uniform filin and agglomerates of TiO2 The Size of the agglomerates. increases as Ti isopropoxidelethanol molar ratio of the starting solution increases. The concentration of the precursor solution and the film thickness of TiO2 was optimized for phenol degradation. The TiO2 film obtained with a Ti-isopropoxidelethanot molar ratio of 0.0259 and a film thickness between 1.2 to 2.4 um were shown to yield the highest phenol degradation.