Industrially Scalable and Refreshable Photocatalytic Foam

Semiconductor photocatalysis has been a promising candidate for micropollutant degradation in environmental remediation. In the past 50 years, TiO2 nanomaterials-based photocatalytic devices have been practically applied to ex-situ sewage treatment. This work promotes the practical photocatalytic application of TiO2 nanomaterials by successfully fabricating a scalable and refreshable photocatalytic foam. The fabrication is done by firmly immobilizing catalyst nanoparticles on ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam. The immobilization replaces commonly used ZnO promoter by TiO2 catalyst nanoparticles in raw materials during industrial foaming production processes. The as-fabricated photocatalytic foam exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity, stability, and refreshability in in-situ micropollutant degradation.

Automated summary

Semiconductor photocatalysis using TiO2 nanomaterials has shown promise in the degradation of micropollutants for environmental remediation. In this study, a scalable and refreshable photocatalytic foam was successfully fabricated by immobilizing TiO2 catalyst nanoparticles on EVA foam. The fabricated foam demonstrated excellent photocatalytic activity, stability, and refreshability for in-situ micropollutant degradation.