Photocatalytic Decomposition of N2O on Highly Dispersed Ag+ Ions on TiO2 Prepared by Photodeposition

• DOI: 10.1006/jcat.2000.2915
• Publication Date: 2002-09-17T19:38:43Z
• Authors: Taizo Sano; Nobuaki Negishi; Denis Mas; Koji Takeuchi
• Keywords: Nitrous oxide

Abstract Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) was photocatalytically decomposed on Ag-photodeposited TiO 2 in the presence of methanol vapor. The N 2 O decomposition activity of Ag-photodeposited TiO 2 was much higher than that of Ag-loaded TiO 2 prepared by deposition–precipitation or impregnation methods. The difference in the N 2 O decomposition activity between the preparation methods was discussed in terms of the surface conditions observed by transmittance electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The N 2 O decomposition activity depended on the amount of photodeposited Ag, and the TiO 2 loaded with only 0.16 wt% Ag has revealed the highest level of activity. Highly dispersed Ag + ions prepared by photodeposition were effective for the photocatalytic decomposition of N 2 O. In the deposition–precipitation or impregnation methods, Ag + ions aggregated to form Ag particles and the N 2 O decomposition activity of these catalysts showed a low level of efficiency. Nitrogen of N 2 O was reduced into N 2 gas, whereas oxygen was released as CO or CO 2 by the reaction with methanol or its derivatives.