Degradation of phenol in aqueous solution by TiO2 photocatalyst coated rotating-drum reactor

In order to commercialize a photochemical reactor for treatment of biohazard organic compounds in aqueous solution, a film-shaped photocatalyst composed of platinum-loaded TiO2/water glass/substrate was fabricated, immobilizing pretreated TiO2 powders on a substrate plate by a double spread method. A new type of photocatalytic reactor, called a TiO2 photocatalyst coated rotating-drum reactor, was proposed, in which the surface of the drum is the reaction site so that the photocatalyst can effectively contact aqueous solution and receive light. A experiment in decomposing phenol in an aqueous solution using this reactor was carried out. In consequence, it is shown that phenol can be decomposed in a relatively short time, not only under artificial ultraviolet light, but also under solar light.