Influence of the methods of TiO2 incorporation in monolithic catalysts for the photocatalytic destruction of chlorinated hydrocarbons in gas phase

Three different methods of fixing titanium dioxide on a monolithic, natural magnesium silicate matrix, onto-the-wall extrusion, wash-coating and sol-gel, are compared. Photo-assisted oxidation tests with chlorinated hydrocarbons, trichloroethylene (TCE) alone and in mixtures with perchloroethylene (PCE) were carried out with the monolithic photocatalysts. Results show that the use of extruded titania monoliths provides significant advantages for best stability of anatase, porosity and resistance to loss of active phase due to erosion. Catalysts obtained by the sol-gel method maybe a good option for this application, but the coating method must still be improved. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.