Etude de la dégradation photocatalytique de polluants organiques en suspension et en lit fixe de dioxyde de titane

Abstract

The first part of this work is dedicated to the evaluation of the photocatalytic efficiency of semiconductors ZnO, TiO2 P25, and two other titanium dioxides (anatase 100%). The comparison was based on determining the physical properties of photocatalysts, mainly: the particle diameter, crystallite size, crystallographic structure, electronic properties, chemical composition and the adsorption capacity. The photocatalytic efficiency was tested with phenol as target molecule. While comparable photocatalytic activity was found with ZnO and TiO2 P25, the lowest resistivity was observed with TiO2 P25, which means that a better electronic circulation occurs in this last photocatalyst compared to ZnO, but also that there is another fundamental parameter governing the reactivity. Under the same crystallographic form, 100% anatase, the photoreactivity of TiO2 is slightly higher with the photocatalyst having the lowest grain’s diameter. The highest photoreactivity of TiO2 P25 can be explained by the partition anatase/rutile (80/20%), a higher electronic circulation and by the fact that TiO2 P25 is formed from a single crystallite, where any grains are considered as photoactive. Second part concerns the photocatalytic degradation of dye Cibacron Green (RG12) used by textile industry, in aqueous suspension in the presence of titanium dioxide TiO2 P25. Discoloration of the suspension was effective after 90min treatment with a partial mineralization 60% of the initial dye (10-40 mgL-1). To determine the general mechanism of the photocatalytic process, especially if the surface of the material is involved or not, thermodynamic and kinetic investigations were investiagted on adsorption. Chemisorption was found to be the majority endothermic spontaneous process occurring on the surface of the photocatalyst. Moreover, the adsorption kinetics follows a pseudo-second order law with a intraparticle diffusion mechanism which was observed at higher concentrations (80-120 mgL- 1) highlighting the mesopores of TiO2. As the Langmuir-Hinshelwood, Ollis and Direct – Indirect models were enable to fully describe our experimental results, a new model involving a competitive adsorption of species on the surface of the photocatalyst was developed. Dye molecules, byproducts of degradation, water molecules, hydroxide ions and the oxygen present in solution are assumed to compete with respect to the same sites of adsorption at the TiO2 surface. The model showed that the inverse of the constant of the dye photocatalytic degradation depended on a second degree polynomial of the initial concentration of initial dye. Binding experiments of TiO2 on glass plates by the method PMTP were carried out in order to work with supported TiO2 in a dedicated reactor having a recirculation of 0.5 L and where optimum operating conditions were determined. Characterization of deposits by SEM and XRD showed that they were homogeneous with a density of 0.26 mg TiO2/cm². Performances of the supported TiO2 were compared to the conventional photocatalytic process in aqueous suspension by studying the discoloration of the previous dye Cibacron green. The competitive adsorption model elaborated well described experimental results. Final examination was done by coupling photocatalysis and sonolysis for the degradation of Cibacron Green. The determination of the active species generated by each technique was performed. A synergy was observed under solar irradiation of TiO2 in the presence of 500 kHz ultrasound which could provide from an extensive mass transfer of the dye on the photocatalyst induced by ultrasounds.