β-SiC foams as a promising structured photocatalytic support for water and air detoxification

The properties of selection of photocatalytic monolithic materials were briefly reviewed and in test phase alveolar open-cell self-bonded β-SiC foams with medium surface and 4500 μm mean cell size were employed to immobilize sol–gel and commercial-grade TiO2 and thus to structure flow-through photoreactors that would be effective in water and air detoxification. TiO2/β-SiC foam monoliths were characterized in terms of their morphology, pressure drop, light transmission ability, static mixer role and photocatalytic activity under UV-A. When operated in a recirculation mode, repetitive reaction cycles occurred successfully without any decrease in activity in Diuron degradation. Foams also proved efficient when used in the single-pass degradation of gaseous methylethylketone.