Waste activated carbon-derived perovskite oxide-based photocatalysts for alcohols partial oxidation in gas-solid regime

In this research, LaFeO3 was prepared by solution combustion synthesis using citric acid as a fuel, in the absence and in the presence of activated carbon derived from waste granules from a car body shop. This material was labelled as WAC (Waste Activated Carbon). The as-combusted powders were labelled as LF-NC and LF-WAC-NC, indicating the absence or presence of WAC, respectively. The same two powders were also calcined at 700 °C giving rise to LF-700 and LF-WAC-700. A full physicochemical characterization of the materials was performed to evaluate the effect of the WAC addition to the LaFeO3 and the effect of the calcination on the photocatalytic properties of the samples. In the samples containing WAC, XRD patterns evidenced the presence of both orthorhombic LaFeO3 perovskite and graphitic carbon. The photocatalytic activity of the powders was studied for the oxidation of acetaldehyde and 2-propanol