Photocatalytic properties of TiO thin films doped with noble metals (Ag, Au, Pd and Pt) for water decontamination

Access to clean water is a major problem for many people. The use of contaminated drinking-water causes hundreds of thousands deaths every year. Even in the developed countries chemical residuals from the industry or human activities or even from the disinfection process can cause several health problems. There are many methods to purify contaminated water. Recently, semiconductor photocatalytic process has shown a great potential as a sustainable treatment technology. It is low-cost, environmentally friendly and in accordance with the “zero” waste scheme. The ability of the photocatalytic process to oxidize and remove persistent organic compounds and microorganisms in water has been widely demonstrated. Although a lot of work has been done and some commercial devices have been prepared, there are still many scientific challenges.