Generation of useful hydrocarbons and hydrogen during photocatalytic decomposition of acetic acid on CuO/rutile photocatalysts

Abstract

The presented studies have focused on a photocatalytic generation of useful hydrocarbons, mainly methane and ethane, from acetic acid under N2 atmosphere. CuO-loaded rutile, as well as unmodified rutile and anatase-phase TiO2 photocatalysts were applied in the experiments. The efficiency of the catalysts towards methane generation changed in the following order: Cu- TiO2 (10% Cu)> crude TiO2 ≈ Cu-TiO2 (20% Cu) >Cu- TiO 2 (5% Cu)> rutile. The amount of CH4 produced in the presence of the catalyst containing 10wt% of Cu was higher for ca. 33 than in case of pure rutile. The concentration of ethane was 14-16 times lower than the amount of methane, regardless of the catalyst used. Low concentrations of hydrogen were also detected in the gaseous mixtures. After 5 hours of the process conducted with the catalyst containing 5-20wt of Cu the concentration of hydrogen amounted to 0.06-0.14vol.%, respectively. © 2009 Sylwia Mozia.