β-SiC alveolar foams as a structured photocatalytic support for the gas phase photocatalytic degradation of methylethylketone

Alveolar open-cell self-bonded beta-SiC foams with medium specific surface area and large mean cell size were used as high open porosity structured support for TiO2 in the gas phase photocatalytic degradation of methylethylketone. The influence of parameters such as the TiO2 weight content and the foam mean cell size, as well as both methylethylketone concentration and air flow rate was investigated. The structured TiO2/beta-SiC foam photocatalytic material takes advantage of the static mixer role played by the beta-SiC foam support and of its ability to increase the amount of TiO2 per unit reactor volume. The value of using TiO2/beta-SiC foams for structuring flow-through reactors was highlighted in comparison to the commercial Quartzel photocatalytic felt standard and thin film coated wall reactor, the gain in performances being all the more pronounced that the pollutant concentration and the air flow rate were low. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.