Immobilizing TiO2 on nickel foam for an enhanced photocatalysis in NO abatement under visible light

TiO2 photocatalyst has been adopted to abate typical pollutants, but the loading and immobilization of TiO2 on a low-cost and lightweight support will benefit the commoditization of this technology. In this work, TiO2 nanoparticles on porous metal foams were prepared by a facile infiltration and calcination for photocatalytic NO abatement. The porous structure of the Ni foam provided a sufficient contact of the photocatalyst with gaseous pollutants without severe blocking the penetration of photons. The calcination in air at 600 degrees C was found to impart an interdiffusion of NiO and TiO2 to form NiTiO3 and increase the adhesion of the particles on the support. The interdiffusion enhanced the NO removal efficiency under a LED lamp with photons > 400 nm, and this enhancement was more evident under photons > 450 nm. In the meantime, the composite was found to enhance the photocatalysis stability of TiO2 under ultraviolet photons that would annihilate the surface oxygen vacancies responsible for the photocatalysis of TiO2 under visible light. This demonstration provides a guideline in designing a practical photocatalyst for serving environmental needs.

Automated summary

In this study, TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared on porous metal foams, which showed enhanced efficiency and stability for photocatalytic NO abatement. These findings provide guidance for the design of practical photocatalysts.