Welcome to the new version of CaltechAUTHORS. Login is currently restricted to library staff. If you notice any issues, please email coda@library.caltech.edu
Published December 1, 1995 | public
Journal Article

Development and Optimization of a TiO_2-Coated Fiber-Optic Cable Reactor: Photocatalytic Degradation of 4-Chlorophenol

Abstract

We have developed, characterized, and utilized a photochemical reactor system that employs an optical fiber cable as a means of light transmission to solid supported TiO_2. Light energy is transmitted to TiO_2 particles, which are chemically anchored onto quartz fiber cores, via radial refraction of light out of the fiber. Operational factors that influence the efficiency of the bundled-array optical fiber reactor are as follows: the uniformity and extent of light propagation down the fiber, the degree of light absorption by the TiO_2 coating of the refracted light, and the ability of the chemical substrates to diffuse into the TiO_2 coating. A TiO_2 coating layer that minimizes the interfacial surface area of the quartz core and TiO_2 particles and operation with incident irradiation angles near 90" enhance light propagation down the fibers. A maximum quantum efficiency of Φ = 0.011 for the oxidation of 4-chlorophenol was achieved. This can be compared to a maximum quantum efficiency of Φ = 0.0065 for 4-chlorophenol oxidation in a TiO_2 slurry reactor operated under similar conditions.

Additional Information

© 1995 American Chemical Society. Received for review January 30, 1995. Revised manuscript received June 12, 1995. Accepted July 13. 1995. We are grateful to ARPA and ONR (NAV 5 HFMN N000149Jl901) for financial support and to Janet Kesselman, Scot T. Martin, Dr. Andreas Termin, and Wonyong Choi for scientific support. We would also like to thank 3M and Degussa for their donations of the optical fiber samples and the P25 photocatalyst, respectively.

Additional details

Created:
August 20, 2023
Modified:
October 23, 2023