The advanced removal of benzene from aerosols by photocatalytic oxidation and adsorption of Cu-TiO2/PU under visible light irradiation

In this study, we used Cu(NO3)(2) as a precursor of Cu dopants, which defected the TiO2 lattice and copper oxides, which in turn distributed on the TiO2 surface to enhance the photocatalytic oxidation activity of the TiO2. Porous polyurethane (PU) was used as a substrate for the immobilization of the enhanced TiO2, to increase the adsorption capacity of the photocatalyst. Therefore, the synthesized Cu-TiO2, immobilized on PU (Cu-TiO2/PU) materials, exhibited both improved photocatalytic oxidation and adsorption activity for the effective removal of benzene from indoor aerosols. The benzene removal, by Cu-TiO2/PU under visible light conditions, was due to the combination of improved adsorption and photocatalytic oxidation. The removal of benzene from the aerosol was strongly dependent on humid environmental conditions, and the amount of Cu in the Cu/TiO2. Optimal humidity conditions and the amount of Cu in the Cu/TiO2, for the photocatalytic oxidation of benzene in the aerosol by the Cu-TiO2/PU photocatalyst, were 60% RH and 6 wt%, respectively. Under visible light irradiation, and at a relative humidity of 60% RH, the 6% Cu-TiO2/PU material removed 86% of the benzene in 100 ppm inlet gas, while 91% of the removed amount was mineralized into CO2 and H2O. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.