Photocatalytic decolouration of Orange II by ZnO active layers screen-printed on ceramic tiles

In this work ZnO layers have been deposited by screen-printing in common ceramic tiles. These layers were characterized and tested for the photocatalytic degradation of the organic dye Orange II in aqueous solutions, using a batch photoreactor either under visible light provided by a Philips ML-160 W lamp or under direct exposure to sunlight. For sake of comparison, ZnO suspensions have also been evaluated for similar reacting conditions. The influence of experimental parameters such as (i) firing temperature of the printed layer; (ii) layer thickness; and (iii) operation time have been investigated. Screen-printed ZnO layers obtained in optimal processing conditions showed photocatalytic activity comparable to aqueous ZnO suspensions. The maximal attenuation degree is over 70% and decolourisation rate, assuming that reaction kinetics follows a pseudo-first order rate law, is over 0.015 min(-1). Thus these ZnO-layered ceramic tiles can be regarded as an alternative to photocatalytic suspensions of the same material with the advantage of avoiding the removal of the photocatalyst.