A hybrid process of EFCM (electrostatic formation of ceramic membrane) and SPCP (surface corona discharge induced plasma chemical process)

A novel method to form a fine particle layer as a hybrid process of electrostatic formation of ceramic membrane (EFCM) and surface corona discharge-induced plasma chemical process (SPCP) was proposed. In this method, particles are synthesized by CVD reaction using surface corona discharge as a source of activation (SPCP). At the same time and same place, the particles imparted monopolar charge and electromigrated onto a substrate ceramic filter to form a particle layer by a DC electrical field. In this study, a TiO2 fine particle layer was made with this method. The obtained TiO2 fine particle layer had a unique structure due to EFCM method with a three-dimensional pearl-chain like structure and high prosity. The size of particles generated in the SPCP–CVD reaction was controllable with the concentration of TiCl4 in reactant gases, and the density of the layer structure could be controlled by the applied DC voltage in the EFCM. It was also confirmed that the obtained TiO2 particle layer had a photocatalytic activity from the experiments of photocatalytic decomposition of 2,4-dinitrophenol.