Removal of Air Pollutants by Nano-structural Non-titania Based Visible Light-driven Photocatalysts with High Surface Areas

(Central Research Grant , PolyU, HK$ 696,000, 2008-2010): The objective of this project is to develop some economic methods to synthesize non-titania based visible light-driven photocatalyts (InTaO4, InVO4, BiVO4, CaBi2O4, TaON, Bi2WO6, AgNbO3, SnNb2O6, etc) with high surface areas and high efficiencies, to extend the developed methods to discover some new high-surface-area visible light-driven photocatalyts, to characterize the chemical and physical properties of these photocatalysts, and to evaluate the adsorption properties and photocatalytic activities of these photocatalysts to remove air pollutants under visible light irradiation. It is expected that the efficiencies of visible light-driven photocatalysts could be improved significantly after their surface areas are enhanced. Meanwhile, soft chemical methods at low temperature are more energy saving in comparison with high temperature firing.

Funding Source: UGC - Other Specific Funds/Earmarked Grants^