Photo-assisted degradation of 2-propanol in gas–solid regime by using TiO2 impregnated with heteropolyacid H3PW12O40

Commercial and home prepared TiO2 samples impregnated with tungstophosphoric acid (H3PW12O40) were used for the photo-assisted degradation of 2-propanol in gas–solid regime. The characterization results evidenced a good coverage of the polyoxometalate (POM) onto the surface of TiO2 along with a marginal effect of the presence of the POM on the specific surface area, morphology and cristallinity of the samples. Propene was the main intermediate product revealed in 2-propanol photocatalytic degradation by using as photocatalysts the samples containing the POM, whereas propanone was mainly obtained when the photocatalysts was bare TiO2, both commercial or home prepared. Acetaldehyde was also found as an intermediate product along with traces of isopropyl ether, mesityl oxide and isobutyl-methyl-ketone that were also detected as gaseous products in all the runs. Carbon dioxide and water were the ultimate oxidation products.