abstract
This article describes the synthesis of tungsten doped (W-TiO2) nanoparticles and their incorporation into a coating to improve the air quality inside buildings. W-TiO2 was prepared using a sol-gel synthesis route incorporating 1%, 2.5% and 3% tungsten in TiO2. Coatings containing the nanoparticles were produced using a water/alcohol liquid phase containing a polyurethane binder and applied to the surface of medium density fibreboard (MDF). Photocatalytic activity of unbound nanoparticles was studied using methylene blue degradation to evaluate liquid/solid interface reactions and NOx degradation to study gas/solid interfacial reactions. The coatings containing the nanoparticles were applied onto the surface of MDF and evaluated using Ink Intelligent indicator dyes. In the tests photocatalytic activity under visible light of all W-TiO2 concentrations exhibited a higher activity compared to the commercially available Degussa P25. This paper has demonstrated for the first time that polyurethane W-TiO2 coatings can be effectively applied to MDF and exhibit activity in visible light.
keywords
VOLATILE ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS; W-DOPED TIO2; MEDIUM-DENSITY FIBERBOARDS; INDOOR AIR PURIFICATION; TITANIUM-DIOXIDE; DYE; PHASE; NANOPARTICLES; FORMALDEHYDE; DEGRADATION
subject category
Construction & Building Technology; Engineering, Environmental; Engineering, Civil
authors
Giampiccolo, A; Tobaldi, DM; Jones, E; Labrincha, JA; Kurchania, R; Ansell, MP; Ball, RJ
our authors
David Maria Tobaldi
Researcher
João António Labrincha Baptista
Full professorProjects
acknowledgements
The research presented was funded through the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agree-ment no 609234. Support was also received through the project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, FCT Ref. UID/CTM/50011/2019, financed by national funds through the FCT/MCTES. David Maria Tobaldi is grateful to Portuguese national funds (OE) , through FCT, I.P., in the scope of the framework contract foreseen in the numbers 4, 5 and 6 of the article 23, of the Decree-Law 57/2016, of August 29, changed by Law 57/2017, of July 19. The authors also gratefully acknowledge support from Kronospan, UK, for supplying the MDF substrates.