Development of a TiO ₂/AC composite photocatalyst by dry impregnation for the treatment of methanol in humid airstreams

A dual-functional photocatalytic TiO ₂/AC composite was developed by dry impregnation for controlling pollutants through simultaneous adsorption and photocatalytic oxidation. Titanium tetra-isopropoxide (TTIP), the precursor, was effectively converted to the anatase form of TiO ₂ on the carbon surface after hydrolysis and calcination. The composites, prepared using various hydrolysis and calcination conditions, were evaluated for their ability to remove methanol from humid air streams. The TiO ₂/AC composite hydrolyzed at 175 °C for 2 h and calcined at 300 °C in air for 2 h was more effective (58%) at removing methanol as compared to the composite prepared by boil deposition (35%). The experimental results demonstrated that a dry impregnation method is an effective method for preparing photocatalytic TiO ₂/AC composites.