The ecological elimination of pollutants is an issue of increasing concern in today’s society. Many researchers have proved that semiconducting TiO2 is an excellent photocatalyst that permits the degradation and finally the mineralization of stable organic pollutants such as detergents, dyes and pesticides in water. However,
it requires ultraviolet (UV) radiation whose energy exceeds the bandgap of 3.2 eV
(λ~380 nm) of the anatase crystalline phase, hence practically ruling out the use of sunlight as an energy source for photodegradation. Another aspect of the problem is the manufacturing of the material: usually, aqueous suspensions and powders are used. However, less activity has been focused on the use of thin films for the decomposition of organic compounds. Filtration, necessary when aqueous suspensions are used, would in this case be avoided.

The talk will focus on thin films with strong oxygen sub-stoichiometry presenting enhanced photocatalytic properties in the visible range, which make them ideal candidates for low-cost photodegradation applications. One example on nonylphenol photodegradation using visible light will also be provided.

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