Flexible polymer TiO2 modified film photocatalysts active in the photodegradation of azo-dyes in solution

This review summarizes the recent developments of thin film polymer coated photocatalysis with TiO2 mediating the discoloration/degradation of the azo-dye Orange II under light irradiation. The stable anchoring of TiO2 on non-heat resistant but chemically inert flexible polymer films is described. The nature of the polymer films used, the pretreatment of the film for the TiO2 loading and the testing of the photocatalytic activity are addressed for different inert polymer films not having the conventional functional surface groups to bind TiO2. The discoloration of Orange II in the presence of LDPE/TiO2 is completed in about 10 h. This is a significantly longer times than the one observed for the same process when Tedlar/TiO2 and Parylene/TiO2 were used in the dye discoloration process. This points out to specific effects particular to each the polymer support used to graft the photoactive TiO2 particles.