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Abstract: Anatase thin films (<200nm in thickness) embedding Degussa P25 TiO2 were prepared by sol–gel method. TiO2-anatase thin films were deposited on a fiberglass substrate and then ground to obtain glass microrods containing the composite films. The film structure was characterized using Raman spectroscopy, atomic absorption and UV–vis spectrophotometry, and atomic force microscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the composite films, calcined at 450°C, and the regeneration of the activity under the same experimental conditions, were assessed using gas chromatography to study the photodegradation of phenol, an industrial pollutant, in water under 365nm irradiation. The film with 15.0wt.% of P25 TiO2 was found to be more photoactive (54ppm of degraded phenol at 6h of illumination) than the other ones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Simple kinetic model is proposed for fitting experimental data of degradation and total organic carbon (mineralization) of phenol. Reaction rates analysis of phenol in water are employed to compare different photocatalysts under the same experimental conditions. The global photonic efficiency for degradation and mineralization of phenol ξ g, is calculated to facilitate comparison with other photocatalysts or experimental systems. Under identical conditions of catalyst loading, pH and phenol concentration the most of photocatalysts presented a global efficiency much lower than that for a TiO2 standard photocatalyst named Degussa P-25. However, two photocatalysts prepared by different methods showed approximately the same global efficiency than the commercial material. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]