Decomposition of gaseous toluene on thermally-excited titanium dioxide and its ESR study under high temperatures

Decomposition of gaseous toluene on thermally-excited activated titanium dioxide (TiO2) was investigated using a simple flow system. The decomposition of toluene on the TiO2 bead was 92% at 400 °C. The irregular phenomena in the toluene decomposition at around 300 °C seemed to be due to the coloration of the TiO2 bead. Electron spin resonance (ESR) measurement at high temperatures was carried out using the heating unit. Since the g-value of the signal was 1.996, the existence of Ti3+ in TiO2 material was confirmed. That is, oxygen vacancy generated by thermally-excitation of TiO2, and the reaction activity of the TiO2 bead for gaseous toluene must be due to spins on the material.