pH-sensitive photocatalytic activities of TiO2/poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) composite hydrogels

✍ Scribed by Jumi Yun; Ji Sun Im; Aeri Oh; Dong-Hwee Jin; Tae-Sung Bae; Young-Seak Lee; Hyung-Il Kim

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 979 KB
• Volume: 176
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0921-5107
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mseb.2010.11.011

✦ Synopsis

The pH-sensitive photocatalytic system was prepared by embedding TiO 2 into poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) hydrogel. Two different type TiO 2 /hydrogel composites, such as matrix and nanofiber, were prepared to investigate the morphological effects on the photocatalytic activity. TiO 2 was distributed uniformly in the composite hydrogel and kept the original anatase structure without any structural change. The photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 was evaluated based on the efficiency of photobleaching of dye. The photobleaching of dye was improved greatly as the pH was changed into basic condition and the larger surface area of hydrogel was available for TiO 2 by using nanofiber supports.