Thermogravimetric study of PE films containing TiO2, MnO2 photocatalysts, and their composites

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study electrodeposited composite materials in photocatalytic degradation of polyethylene (PE) films vs pure TiO2, MnO2, and their mechanical mixture. Composites were obtained from suspension electrolytes based on fluoride-containing ones of MnO2 electrodeposition. TiO2 and halloysite (HNTs) as suspension components were considered. PE films were prepared by the casting method with 1% by mass of a photocatalyst. PE films were UV-treated at regular intervals with mass loss control. The best photocatalyst (1:1 ramsdellite&anatase with 15% of mass loss in 70h of UV treatment) demonstrated a synergetic photocatalytic effect compared with pure oxides and TG mass loss. Ramsdellite (97%)&Rutile (1%) composite had activity comparable with pure anatase (about 6% mass loss). Based on TGA data, we determined that the average activation energy of PE decomposition is ca. 200 kJ mol-1. In conclusion, MnO2-based composites have prospects as (photo)catalysts for the degradation of PE films in variable conditions.