Photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsLev Davydov, Paul Amaat France, Panagiotis George Smirniotis
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Abstract
The present invention relates to the photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds by zeolite and/or mesoporous material hosted photocatalysts. The present invention further relates to a method of treating a contaminated aqueous liquid or gaseous fluid containing organics using a combination of visible or solar light energy in the presence of a photocatalyst to decompose the organic impurities in the liquid or gaseous fluid.
Claims28
A process for the treatment of an aqueous liquid or gaseous fluid containing organic contaminants said process comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting the aqueous liquid or gaseous fluid with a semiconductor photocatalyst;
- wherein said semiconductor photocatalyst comprises a transition metal atom exchanged into the framework of a molecular sieve material and a photoactive semiconductor loaded onto the molecular sieve material;
- and
- b) exposing the aqueous liquid or gaseous fluid to visible light.
A process for purifying an aqueous liquid or gaseous fluid containing organic contaminants by decomposing said contaminants said process comprising the steps of:
- a) mixing said aqueous liquid or gaseous fluid with a semiconductor photocatalyst to form a suspension of said semiconductor photocatalyst and said aqueous liquid or gaseous fluid having a concentration of from about 100 milligrams to about 2 grams of said semiconductor photocatalyst per liter of liquid or gas;
- wherein said semiconductor photocatalyst comprises a transition metal atom exchanged into the framework of a molecular sieve material and a photoactive semiconductor loaded onto the molecular sieve material;
- and
- b) exposing said suspension to visible light with a wavelength of from about 380 to about 750 nm;
- and
- c) separating said liquid or gas from said semiconductor photocatalyst after decomposition of said organic contaminants.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.