PHOTOCATALYTIC OXIDATION OF 2-ETHOXYETHANOL IN A WATER SUSPENSION OF TITANIUM-DIOXIDE

The photocatalytic oxidation of 2-ethoxyethanol in a water suspension of TiO2 in the presence of the air has been studied. The gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy head space analysis has been tested for product identification in the irradiated suspensions. It has been shown that the photodegradation mechanisms may be different for high and low concentrations of 2-ethoxyethanol in a suspension of TiO2. For high concentrations of 2-ethoxyethanol in solution the adsorbed molecules have a restricted mobility and interact with the surface oxygen. Ethyl formate and surface formate have been formed as the primary products. The 2-ethoxyethanol molecules can be of energetically advantageous orientation on the TiO2 surface in the suspension with a low 2-ethoxyethanol concentration. The etheric oxygen can interact with the hydrogen of the sorbed hydroxyl groups. The formaldehyde ethylhemiacetal and surface formate were created in the first period of the photocatalytic reaction.