Use of adsorbent photocatalytic materials for air revitalization in space closed environment

The Air Revitalization is one of the main objectives of the Life Support & Biotechnologies research of RecycLAB TASI Engineering Technological Area. A “small- scale” module mock up, called Athena, has been recently designed and realized for allowing the possibility to simulate a contaminated confined environment, as a crew cabin is, and test the efficiency of adsorbent materials within reactors of different shape specifically conceived. This paper deals with the synthesis, the characterization and the testing of Titania-containing porous silica (TiO2–SiO2) as trace gas traps. In particular, two post- synthesis methods of TiO2 incorporation inside mesoporous SBA-15 silica support have been selected. The obtained products have been characterized and compared from the chemical- physical and morphological points of view (by XRD, IR and UV-VIS spectroscopy, N2 adsorption, FESEM-EDS and DLS). The test campaign focused on the evaluation of the combined effect of photocatalytic and adsorbent properties for ethanol and dichloromethane removal in vapour phase by means of Athena. The VOCs concentration decrease over time was monitored by means of a FT-IR spectrometer for kinetic analysis, equipped with a temperature controlled gas cell connected to the mock up in a closed loop system.