Persistent deNOx Ability of CaAl2O4:(Eu, Nd)/TiO2-xNy Luminescent Photocatalyst

Abstract

CaAl2O4:(Eu, Nd)/TiO2-xNy composite luminescent photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by a simple planetary ball milling process. Improvement of photocatalytic deNOx ability of TiO2-xNy, together with the persistent photocatalytic activity for the decomposition of NO after turning off the light were realized, by coupling TiO2-xNy with long afterglow phosphor, CaAl2O4:(Eu, Nd). The novel persistent photocatalytic behavior was related to the overlap between the absorption wavelength of TiO2-xNy and the emission wavelength of the CaAl2O4:(Eu, Nd). It was found that CaAl2O4:(Eu, Nd)/TiO2-xNy composites provided the luminescence to persist photocatalytic reaction for more than 3 h after turning off the light. © 2010 The Author(s).