Dip-coating on TiO2 foams using a suspension of Pt–TiO2 nanopowder synthesized by laser pyrolysis—preliminary evaluation of the catalytic performances of the resulting composites in deVOC reactions

As an extension of a study to generate ceramic-metal nanosized composites further deposited on ceramic foams, here we describe a new route to prepare Pt–TiO2 nanopowders of controlled metallic size and their further coating of TiO2 foams. Their efficiency as catalysts in volatile organic compound elimination (deVOC) reactions was evaluated and compared to those of the corresponding classical unsupported mixed powders.Composite metal/ceramic nanopowders (Pt–TiO2) were synthesized by laser pyrolysis using organo-metallic precursors. Successive dip-coatings on TiO2 foams with aqueous slurries of nanodispersed Pt–TiO2 particles were then achieved. Both foam-supported and unsupported Pt–TiO2 grains of about 20 nm could be stabilized, confirming no significant particles coalescence after a thermal treatment at 460 °C. Both proved equally efficient catalysts for the total oxidation of methanol, selected as probe deVOC reaction, thereby demonstrating that the dispersion of the nanopowders over the preformed ceramics does not modify their catalytic performances.