Skip to main content
Log in

Photodegradation of methylene blue in water, a standard method to determine the activity of photocatalytic coatings?

  • Published:
Research on Chemical Intermediates Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The degradation of methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solutions has been re-examined as a method to characterize the photocatalytic activity of transparent TiO2 coatings. Increasing irradiation intensities leads to a change in the observed kinetic behavior from zero-order to pseudo-first-order regarding the concentration of MB. This is due to a diffusion inhibition of MB. In order to obtain data within a zero-order kinetic regime at an initial MB concentration of 10 μmol/l and, thus, to avoid the diffusion control, irradiation intensities below E=5 W/m2 for substrates comprising higher photonic efficiencies than ζ=0.09% have to be applied. Recommendations for a standard protocol are given.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. M. R. Hoffmann, S. T. Martin, W. Choi and D. W. Bahnemann, Chem. Rev. 95, 69 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. A. Fujishima, K. Hashimoto and T. Watanabe, TiO 2 Photocatalysis, Fundamentals and Applications. BKC, Tokyo (1999).

    Google Scholar 

  3. D. M. Blake, Bibliography of Work on the Heterogeneous Photo catalytic Removal of Hazardous Compounds from Water and Air, NREL/TP-570-26797, Update Number 4. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Boulder, CO (2001).

    Google Scholar 

  4. M. Kaneko and I. Okura, Photocatalysis, Science and Technology. Kodansha, Tokyo (2002).

    Google Scholar 

  5. D. Bahnemann, Sol. Energ. 77, 445 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. A. Mills and S.-K. Lee, J. Photochem. Photobiol. A: Chem. 152, 233 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. N. Serpone and A. V. Emeline, Int. J. Photoenerg. 4, 91 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. J.E. Valladares and J.R. Bolton, in: Photocatalytic Purification and Treatment of Water and Air, D.F. Ollis and H. Al-Ekabi (Eds), p. 111. Elsevier, Amsterdam (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Z. Shi, Y. Fan, M. Xu and J. Shi, Chin. J. Chem. Eng. 8, 15 (2000).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Y. Ohko, Y. Utsumi, C. Niwa, T. Tatsuma, K. Kobayakawa, Y. Satoh, Y. Kubota and A. Fujishima, J. Biomed. Mater. Res. 58, 97 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Y. Kotani, T. Matoda, A. Matsuda, T. Kogure, M. Tatsumisago and T. Minami, J. Mater. Chem., 11, 2045 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. A. Mills and J. Wang, J. Photochem. Photobiol. A: Chem. 127, 123 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. B.-N. Lee, W.-D. Liaw and J.-C. Lou, Environ. Eng. Sci. 16, 165 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. S. Prahl, Optical Absorption Spectra of Methylene Blue. Oregon Medical Laser Center, Beaverton, OR (2007) Avalaible online at http://omlc.ogi.edu/spectra/mb/

    Google Scholar 

  15. A. Houas, H. Lachheb, M. Ksibi, E. Elaloui, C. Guillard and J.-M. Herrmann, Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 31, 145 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Y. Yang, Q. Wu, Y. Guo, C. Hu and E. Wang, J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem. 225, 203 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. G. Wedler, Lehrbuch der Physikalischen Chemie, 2nd edn. Verlag Chemie, Weinheim (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  18. P.W. Atkins, Physical Chemistry, 3rd edn. Oxford University Press, Oxford (1986).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Detlef Bahnemann.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tschirch, J., Dillert, R., Bahnemann, D. et al. Photodegradation of methylene blue in water, a standard method to determine the activity of photocatalytic coatings?. Res. Chem. Intermed. 34, 381–392 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1163/156856708784040588

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/156856708784040588

Keywords

Navigation