TIO2-CATALYZED EXHAUSTIVE PHOTOOXIDATION OF ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS IN PERFLUOROTRIBUTYLAMINE

The exhaustive oxidation of organic compounds like methane, ethane, benzene, and their halogenated derivatives to CO2 and H2O can be achieved at ambient temperature by irradiation (lambda > 290 nm) of the system consisting of organic compounds, TiO2, O2, and perfluorotributylamine. The high efficiency for the complete oxidation is ascribed to the effective adsorption of intermediary species formed at the interface between TiO2 and perfluorotributylamine. The effective formation of the hydroxyl radical (HO.) plays an important role as an active oxidizing species as do the photo-formed holes at the valence band of the TiO2.