Palladium-modified TiO2 films in a photocatalytic microreactor: evaluation of radiation absorption properties and pollutant degradation efficiency.

Pure (TiO2) and 0.1 nominal atomic percent of palladium-modified TiO2 (Pd-TiO2) films were synthesized via a sol-gel method and compared through their physicochemical properties and photocatalytic activity in the degradation of an emerging contaminant, 17-α-ethinylestradiol (EE2). The activity of the films was studied using a continuous flow, planar microreactor under simulated sunlight. Catalysts characterization included X-ray diffraction, UV-Visible diffuse reflectance and transmittance spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, N2 physisorption analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The modification of TiO2 with palladium confined the size of anatase phase crystallites, increased the specific surface area and improved radiation absorption. PdO domains on TiO2 were observed. In all the tested conditions, higher conversion of EE2 was achieved with the Pd-TiO2 film compared with the TiO2 film, presenting an 80% increase in the reaction rate. The performance of the catalytic films was also assessed by the calculation of two efficiency parameters: radiation absorption efficiency and quantum efficiency of reaction. The Pd-TiO2 film showed a notable enhancement of the absorption of the incident radiation and a more efficient utilization of the absorbed photons to degrade the target pollutant.