Effect of preparation method of functionalized textile materials on their photocatalytic activity and stability under UV irradiation

Cotton textiles and cotton/polyester blends were modified by impregnation with Al2O3 or SiO2 as the binding agent and TiO2 as the photocatalyst. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized materials was measured in a flow reactor under steady-state conditions. The effect of the preparation procedure on the photostability of the textile materials under prolonged UV irradiation as well as the photocatalytic activity during acetone vapor photooxidation was investigated. It was demonstrated that impregnation with commercially available SiO2 water sol and TiO2 Hombifine N is a good method for preparing highly photocatalytically active textile materials that have activity comparable to that of TiO2 Hombifine N powder. In contrast, modification with either SiO2 prepared from tetraethyl orthosilicate by the sol–gel process or Al2O3 and TiO2 Hombifine N led to significantly lower photoactivity of the textiles.Self-degradation of the functionalized textiles under long-term UV irradiation was observed, and H2O, CO and CO2 were determined to be the gaseous degradation products by IR spectroscopy. One of the most active prepared materials displayed a decrease in tensile strength of 80% after UV irradiation for a month.

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► Highly photoactive TiO2 based textile materials were developed.
► Al2O3 and SiO2 were used as binding and protective agents.
► Activity was tested in the acetone vapor photooxidation.
► H2O, CO and CO2 were detected as the gaseous degradation products.