Flexible polymer TiO2 modified film photocatalysts active in the photodegradation of azo-dyes in solution

Abstract This review summarizes the recent developments of thin film polymer coated photocatalysis with TiO 2 mediating the discoloration/degradation of the azo-dye Orange II under light irradiation. The stable anchoring of TiO 2 on non-heat resistant but chemically inert flexible polymer films is described. The nature of the polymer films used, the pretreatment of the film for the TiO 2 loading and the testing of the photocatalytic activity are addressed for different inert polymer films not having the conventional functional surface groups to bind TiO 2 . The discoloration of Orange II in the presence of LDPE/TiO 2 is completed in about 10 h. This is a significantly longer times than the one observed for the same process when Tedlar/TiO 2 and Parylene/TiO 2 were used in the dye discoloration process. This points out to specific effects particular to each the polymer support used to graft the photoactive TiO 2 particles.