Photocatalytic TiO2 nanosheets-SiO2 coatings on concrete and limestone: An enhancement of de-polluting and self-cleaning properties by nanoparticle design

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URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10498/26688
DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.127349
ISSN: 0950-0618
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2022Department
Ciencia de los Materiales e Ingeniería Metalúrgica y Química Inorgánica; Ciencias de la Tierra; Química FísicaSource
Construction and Building Materials 338 (2022) 127349Abstract
In this study, we develop TiO2-SiO2 nanocomposites that can be employed as photoactive coatings to create
surfaces with antipollution and self-cleaning properties in urban buildings. In particular, anatase titanium dioxide
with a high percentage of {001} facets, commonly called titania nanosheet (TNS), was used as active
phase. This approach allows us to improve the antipollution properties of similar sols based on P25. The obtained
TNS were intensively characterized by UV–Vis diffuse reflectance absorption, X-Ray diffraction and transmission
electron microscopy to rationalize the sol synthesis and fully understand the photocatalytic performances. Our
results clearly show that after treating the titania nanosheets with NaOH to remove adsorbed residual fluoride
from the synthesis, they can be easily dispersed and the photocatalytic activity is dramatically improved. This
material has been shown to effectively reduce concentrations of NOx, soot and organic dyes under simulated sun
light radiation.