Journal
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
Volume 132, Issue -, Pages 96-103Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2018.01.028
Keywords
Mesoporous; Dense; TiO2 release; Weathering; Microstructure; Self-cleaning
Funding
- ARACNE - Laboratorio Integrato Sviluppo Tecnologie Avanzate Materiali Innovativi per Costruzioni Ecosostenibili through the Italian Program Bando regionale Dai distretti produttivi ai distretti tecnologici
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Weathering of photocatalytic TiO2 coatings represents an important issue for the successful application of TiO2-based self-cleaning materials. Photocatalytic efficiency of the as-prepared materials is crucial for commercialization; however, changes in the coating performance due to weathering become a critical factor for practical applications. Moreover, chemical durability should be considered as weathering can promote the release of photocatalyst nanoparticles, which can pollute the environment and be hazardous for human health. In this study, two photocatalytic TiO2 coatings with different microstructures (namely compact and mesoporous) were exposed to chemical treatments to simulate domestic and environmental weathering. Results show that dense TiO2 coatings with a slow photocatalytic activity are suitable for domestic applications as minimum leaching of photoactive material was observed. Conversely, once exposed to chemical solutions commonly present in domestic environments, the initially highly active mesoporous TiO2 coatings showed a dramatic drop of the selfcleaning performance and a significant release of nanoparticles in the surrounding environment. It is expected that the results reported here will be of particular relevance for the construction sector, as the manuscript discloses important knowledge for the development of TiO2-based self-cleaning materials once exposed to indoor or outdoor environments.
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