Efficient adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants diluted in water using fluoride-modified hydrophobic mesoporous silica

Using a mixture of tetraethylammonium fluoride and dodecylamine as templates, hydrophobic mesoporous silica supports were prepared. The fine anatase TiO2 photocatalysts were prepared on the fluoride-modified hydrophobic mesoporous silica and the adsorption properties and the photocatalytic degradation of an aqueous 2-propanol or 2-hexanol solution into CO2 and H2O have been studied. The amount of adsorption and the photocatalytic reactivities increased with increasing the content of fluoride ions on these photocatalysts. 2-Hexanol diluted in water was adsorbed on the hydrophobic catalysts more efficiently than 2-propanol.