Solid-Phase Photocatalytic Degradation of Polyvinyl Borate

Abstract

In this study, polymer composites based on polyvinyl borate (PVB) with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles were prepared through the condensation reaction of polyvinyl alcohol and boric acid in the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles. The solid-phase photocatalytic degradation of the polymer composites under UV light irradiation was investigated and compared with that of the pure PVB with the aid of weight loss measurements. The introduction of the photocatalyst nanoparticles in PVB enhanced the solid-phase photocatalytic degradation of the polymer matrix under UV light irradiation. The structural and morphological properties of PVB/TiO2 composites were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and UV-Vis spectroscopy, respectively. FTIR analysis revealed that PVB synthesis was successfully carried out in the presence of the photocatalyst nanoparticles. According to the morphological analyses, TiO2 nanoparticles were well dispersed in the PVB matrix.