Photocatalytic Material Testing

Among different interesting applications, embedding photocatalytic compounds in building materials enables large scale deployment of distributed and passive air cleaning solutions in the polluted urban environment. Indeed, when exposed to the sunlight, a photocatalytic building envelope can decompose volatile organic compounds (VOC) – eg. toluene, acetaldehyde – into harmless CO₂ and H₂O.

Because photocatalysis is a complex process involving many aspects of physics and chemistry, and although computer modeling exists to predict the photocatalytic performance of various compositions of advanced materials, the specialists still rely on the generation and analysis of extensive experimental data to study and understand the multiple factors that contribute.

On the gas side of the photocatalytic process, studying the kinetic of reaction and the efficiency of a photocatalytic process requires to monitor the concentration reactants and the products with high accuracy and repeatability. Low detection limits, high sensitivity and wide dynamic range are needed to monitor the full span of the photocatalytic reaction.

Our Photoacoustic Gas Monitor (INNOVA 1412i) is a very relevant instrument with regard to the measurement needs met by photocatalysis scientists. It has been selected by multiple research teams in the world which value in particular the following features:

• Multi-gas instrument enabling the monitoring of reactants and products with a unique instrument,
• High versatility and easy customization: the selection of gases of interest is made simply by choosing the appropriate optical gas filters,
• Embedded pump and very low sampling volume: the gas monitor can be integrated in a closed-loop configuration with a small-size reactor.