Mesoporous pyrophyllite–titania nanocomposites: synthesis and activity in phenol photocatalytic degradation

Pyrophyllite–TiO2 nanocomposite PTi750 was successfully synthesized using a sol–gel method at ambient temperature based on exfoliation of the pyrophyllite layered clay by incorporation of the TiO2 precursor titanium(IV) t-butoxide. PTi750 exhibited higher photocatalytic activity in phenol degradation compared with commercial TiO2 Aeroxide P25. Ag-photodeposited PTi750 was more photoactive than PTi750, exhibiting detoxification, total degradation, and good mineralization of polluted…

Photocatalytic propylene epoxidation on Bi2WO6-based photocatalysts

The photocatalytic epoxidation of propylene (PR) with molecular oxygen was carried out in a fluidized-bed reactor with several Bi2WO6-based materials under UV-A illumination. Three different photocatalysts were tested: one of single Bi2WO6 and two of coupled Bi2WO6-TiO2 heterostructures, thus showing that a mixed system of Bi2WO6 with commercial TiO2 Degussa-P25 leads to the best combination…