Photocatalytic degradation of dyes in water with micro-sized TiO2 as powder or coated on porcelain-grès tiles

• We propose the use of micro-sized TiO2 as a possible new catalyst for the photodegradation of dyes in water.
• Micro-sized TiO2 is a challenge to bypass particular drawbacks due to the industrial use of nano-TiO2 (safety, recovery).
• Good results from tests on industrial photocatalytic porcelain-grès tiles, hot-coated with micro-sized TiO2.
• The results pave the way for the industrial use of photocatalysis in environmental remediation.

Some particular drawbacks due to the industrial use of nano-sized TiO2 (safety, recovery) in photocatalytic processes for water remediation can be avoided choosing micro-sized TiO2. Tests on both micro-sized TiO2 powder and industrially prepared photocatalytic tiles, having the surface of porcelain-grès tiles hot-coated with the same photocatalyst, were performed. Good photocatalytic performance in the degradation of three organic dyes (rhodamine B, crystal violet and methylene blue) in water phase were achieved. Photocatalytic tiles can really represent a good alternative to TiO2 suspensions and pave the way for the fully industrial use of photocatalysis in environmental remediation.

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