Study of the Photodegradation Properties of Toluene using Photocatalysts Modified by Metal Matter

In photocatalysis, the addition of metal matter to TiO2 can alter the surface properties. As such, the metal can increase the rate of the photodegradation reaction. In this study, a range of modified TiO2 photocatalysts were prepared and tested to improve the activity of photodegradation at a batch-typed photoreactor. To obtain a good sol solution of the TiO2 photocatalyst, several types of dispersion agents and stabilizers were investigated. The photocatalyst solutions were modified with isoproply alcohol as the dispersion agent and sodium silicate as the stabilizer. The effects of various metallic elements on enhancing the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 on the degradation of toluene were examined. Palladium-added TiO2 was found to be the best, whereas copper or tungsten-added also showed good results. In the case of palladium addition, the increase in removal efficiency was 25%. On the other hand, Fe-added TiO2 showed a notable decrease in photocatalytic degradation. Additional doping of copper or tungsten on the Pd/TiO2 had no positive effect on the photodegradation activity.