Photocatalytic Inactivation of Microorganisms by TiO2/nickel Foam Materials

The titanium dioxide photo catalyst coated on three-dimensional nickel foam nets was prepared by composite electrode position. Three types of photo catalytic reactors including UV, TiO₂/nickel foam and UV+TiO₂/nickel foam were designed, to study the inactivation effects and laws of photo catalytic material on natural bacteria, Escherichia coli, and Legion Ella. The results showed that the inactivation effect of UV+TiO₂/nickel foam photo catalytic reactor on natural bacteria and Escherichia. coli was significantly better than the other two, the inactivation ratio reached 99.5% and 98.6% after three hours later, respectively. Legion Ella in the cooling water was not detected after one hour reaction. The laws of photo catalytic inactivation on Natural bacteria and E. coli were fitted with a pseudo-first-order kinetics equations, the observed rate constants were 1.78h^-1 and 1.66 h^-1, respectively. With the increase of the initial concentration of Escherichia. coli, the inactivation ratio gradually reduced. The optimum heat treatment temperature of TiO₂/nickel foam was 500°C.