Solid-Solid Photocatalytic Reaction for Dicarboxylic Acids Using Copper or Copper Oxide Loaded Titanium Dioxide Powders as Photocatalyst

Abstract

Solid-solid photocatalytic reaction was carried out using copper or copper oxide loaded titanium dioxide. Effect of loaded metal on reaction activity in the solid-solid system was observed for malonic acid. Copper loaded photocatalyst showed lower activity than platinum loaded one, although the activity for copper loaded one was similar to that for platinum loaded one in the suspension system. Reaction selectivity in the solid-solid system was compared with that in the suspension one. There were some differences in product distribution between the two systems; e.g. the ratio of hydrocarbon to CO₂ in the solid-solid system was higher than that in the suspension one. Also the difference of the photocatalytic reaction products depending on the loaded metal was reported. Interestingly, alkene was produced in the case loading copper; i.e. ethylene and propylene were produced from succinic acid and glutaric acid, respectively.