Photocatalytic processes in membrane reactors

Photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMRs) represent an interesting alternative technology useful both in the field of water and air purification and in organic syntheses. The necessity to develop chemical products and industrial processes that reduce or eliminate the use and the generation of toxic substances along with the risk for human health and for environment constitutes the aim of the research efforts based on the principles of green chemistry. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is a technology extensively studied for about three decades, since Fujishima and Honda1 discovered the photocatalytic splitting of water on TiO2 electrodes in 1972, which includes a large range of reactions. When a s…