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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/L96066/01
Title: WATER RECYCLING BY PHOTO-ELECTROCHEMICAL OXIDATION OF ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS
Principal Investigator: Egerton, Dr TA
Other Investigators:
Christensen, Professor P Scott, Professor K
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Charcoal Cloth (International) Ltd ICI
Department: School of Chemistry
Organisation: Newcastle University
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 October 1998 Ends: 30 September 2001 Value (£): 187,869
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Waste Minimisation
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The research aims to develop an efficient photocatalyst water treatment based on UV irradiation of TiO2 semiconductors to generate powerfully - oxidizing OH radical. Despite considerable previous academic research, photocatalystic oxidation systems to allow the reuse of water from aqueous industrial waste streams have not been adopted. Most previous work has been based on slurry reactors. Quantum efficiencies of the process have been to low- typically less than 5% - because of charge carrier recombination. To limit the recombination and achieve higher quantum efficiencies requires particles <100nm in diameter and these are difficult to remove from the slurry. We propose to increase the quantum efficiency of the process by the application of an electrical field to an immobilized Ti02 photoanode. Catalyst preparation will be optimised with respect to (a) activity for the oxidation of effluent from large scale production of nitrobenzene - a key intermediate in ICI's Plyutheranes Business - and (b) immobilization. Immobilization of the catalyst will eliminate carry over into the purified water. Mass transport limitations will be eliminated by developing a turbulent reaction system.
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Organisation Website: http://www.ncl.ac.uk