Role of the Hydroxyl Groups Coordinated toTiO2 Surface on the Photocatalytic Decomposition of Ethylene at Different Ambient Conditions

Abstract

The titania pulp—a semi product received from the industrial production of titania white—was submitted for the thermal heating at 400–600 °C under Ar and H2 to obtain TiO2 with different structure and oxygen surface defects. Heating of titania in H2 atmosphere accelerated dehydration and crystallisation of TiO2 compared to heating in Ar. TiO2 prepared at 500 and 600 °C under H2 had some oxygen vacancies and Ti3+ centres (electron traps), whereas TiO2 obtained at 450 °C under H2 exhibited some hole traps centres. The presence of oxygen vacancies induced adsorption of atmospheric CO2. It was evidenced, that ethylene reacted with TiO2 after UV irradiation. Formic acid was identified on TiO2 surface as the reaction product of ethylene oxidation. Hydroxyl radicals were involved in complete mineralisation of ethylene. TiO2 prepared at 500 °C under H2 was poorly active because some active sites for coordination of ethylene molecules were occupied by CO2. The most active samples were TiO2 with high quantity of OH terminal groups. At 50 °C, the physically adsorbed water molecules on titania surface were desorbed, and then photocatalytic decomposition of ethylene was more efficient. TiO2 with high quantity of chemisorbed OH groups was very active for ethylene decomposition. The acidic surface of TiO2 enhances its hydroxylation. Therefore, it is stated that TiO2 having acidic active sites can be an excellent photocatalyst for ethylene decomposition under UV light.