6533b86cfe1ef96bd12c8b42

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Extruded Expanded Polystyrene Sheets Coated by TiO2 as New Photocatalitic Materials for Foodstuffs Packaging

Sedat YurdakalLeonardo PalmisanoGiuseppe MarcìVittorio LoddoLuigi GaravagliaMatteo BrazzoliGiovanni Palmisano

subject

chemistry.chemical_classificationAnataseMaterials scienceBatch reactorGeneral Physics and AstronomySurfaces and InterfacesGeneral ChemistryPolymerCondensed Matter PhysicsSurfaces Coatings and Filmssymbols.namesakeX-ray photoelectron spectroscopychemistryPhase (matter)symbolsPhotocatalysisPhotoactive polymer Polystyrene functionalised by TiO2 Photocatalytic material for foodstuffsComposite materialRaman spectroscopyThermoforming

description

Nanostructured, photoactive anatase TiO2 sol prepared under very mild conditions using titanium tetraisopropoxide as the precursor is used to functionalise extruded expanded polystyrene (XPS) sheets by spray-coating resulting in stable and active materials functionalised by TiO2 nanoparticles. Photocatalytic tests of these sheets performed in a batch reactor in gas-solid system under UV irradiation show their successful activity in degrading probe molecules (2-propanol, trimethylamine and ethene). Raman spectra ensure the deposition of TiO2 as crystalline anatase phase on the polymer surface. The presence of TiO2 with respect to polymer surface can be observed in SEM images coupled to EDAX mapping allowing to monitor the surface morphology and the distribution of TiO2 particles. Finally thermoforming of these sheets in industrial standard equipment leads to useful containers for foodstuffs. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

10.1016/j.apsusc.2012.08.100http://hdl.handle.net/10447/73686