Comparison of Nickel Foam/Ag-Supported ZnO, TiO2, and WO3 for Toluene Photodegradation

Photocatalytic activities of three composites, namely nickel foam/Ag-TiO2, nickel foam/Ag-ZnO, and nickel foam/Ag-WO3, were evaluated for toluene degradation in a home-made cuboid photoreactor. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry were employed to characterize these photocatalysts. The photodegradation effects of the three photocatalysts peaked under 60% relative humidity, with nickel foam/Ag-TiO2 exhibiting the highest rate of photocatalytic toluene degradation. Controlling humidity could enhance the photocatalytic toluene degradation activities of the three composites, which are significantly affected by a wider band gap. In this study, a dynamic model was proposed and analyzed according to the time-dependent photodegradation of toluene.