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The aim of this project is to investigate the photocatalytic activity of ZnO/TiO2 composite films for the gas-phase oxidation of ethanol. Pure TiO2, pure ZnO, and their composites were formulated using a sol-gel synthesis method, and the resulting powders were cast and dried as thin films in a flat plate ultraviolet light-emitting- diode (UV LED reactor. P25 TiO2 and commercially-available ZnO were also used for comparison. Structural, morphological, and optical characteristics of the materials were characterized. The photocatalytic oxidation of ethanol vapors in air after 24 hours of reactor operation was used to assess the relative photocatalytic activity of the ZnO/TiO2 composite films. Our results show that as ZnO composition in the photocatalytic film increases, the apparent photocatalytic activity decreases, and pure ZnO (both sol-gel and purchased) had the least photocatalytic activity for vapor-phase ethanol oxidation in our test apparatus. ZnO-containing photocatalysts have lower surface areas than those of TiO2-based photocatalysts. For gas-phase photocatalysis, surface area was shown to be a critical feature for photocatalytic activity.
Meet Ibrahim Sanusi
Ibrahim Sanusi is a safety professional with his most recent position as an EHS Operation Manager at Walmart Sam’s Club FC/DC. He started his safety career in 2014 as an HSEQ Manager developing, implementing and sustaining Total Energies’ international small site safety rating system (ISSSRS) program for a major oil and gas transportation service provider in Nigeria. Ibrahim is highly passionate about environmental sustainability and his Master’s thesis was focused on air pollution control (from diurnal evaporative emission in automobile). He also hold a class 2 Ohio EPA wastewater treatment operator license. Ibrahim was fortunate to have received scholarships and grants for his graduate program, including the BCSP’s Master Thesis Grant. He is currently preparing for his FE license, with a goal of becoming a licensed PE, a journey that will make him an Environmental Consultant at long term.
