title: Biotemplated diatom silica-titania materials for air purification.
abstract: We present a novel manufacture route for silica-titania photocatalysts using the diatom microalga Pinnularia sp. Diatoms self-assemble into porous silica cell walls, called frustules, with periodic micro-, meso- and macroscale features. This unique hierarchical porous structure of the diatom frustule is used as a biotemplate to incorporate titania by a sol-gel methodology. Important material characteristics of the modified diatom frustules under study are morphology, crystallinity, surface area, pore size and optical properties. The produced biosilica-titania material is evaluated towards photocatalytic activity for NOx abatement under UV radiation. This research is the first step to obtain sustainable, well-immobilised silica-titania photocatalysts using diatoms.
authors.affiliation: Research Group Sustainable Energy and Air Purification, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium. erik.vaneynde@ua.ac.be
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Eynde
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tytgat
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.forename: Sammy W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Verbruggen
authors.forename: Birger
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hauchecorne
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lenaerts
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D002384:Catalysis; D017377:Diatoms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006868:Hydrolysis; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; C009495:titanium dioxide; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D014025:Titanium