A screening technique useful for testing the effectiveness of novel "self-cleaning" photocatalytic surfaces

We describe a screening methodology that can be used to quickly determine the effectiveness of newly synthesized photocatalysts. We were particularly interested in measuring the destruction of organic molecules painted onto a photocatalytic surface by spraying, with destruction proceeding in ambient air (as a model for airborne toxin destruction). Our method can utilize photocatalysts that are synthesized as powders (such as doped and undoped titanium oxide) and which are then calcined onto a glass substrate disk at 600°C. Herein, we used UV illumination of Aeroxide P-25 TiO ₂, but the method is general and can accommodate any region of the light spectrum. In this report, we describe a high-throughput screening methodology that can be used to quickly determine the effectiveness of newly synthesized photocatalysts, in the context of destroying organic molecules which have been painted onto a photocatalytic surface by spraying, with photocatalytic destruction proceeding in ambient air. Our method can utilize photocatalysts that are synthesized as powders (such as doped and undoped titanium oxide) and which are then calcined onto a glass substrate disk at 600°C. Herein, we have used UV illumination of sample surfaces but the method is general and can accommodate any region of the light spectrum.