Evaluation of the removal of n‐butanol vapor by the poly(lactic acid)‐zeolite‐TiO2 composite and formation of by‐products

The use of polymeric films incorporated with zeolite‐TiO2 composites associated with UV radiation can be an alternative in the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) through the adsorption and photodegradation processes. This study produced poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films incorporated with 13× zeolite, TiO2, and 13×‐TiO2 zeolite composite to remove n‐butanol and evaluate the by‐products generated in the process. The results showed that 13× zeolite and TiO2 added individually or as a composite to PLA, gave the polymer matrix a significant increase in the removal capacity of n‐butanol. The best performance was presented by the zeolite‐TiO2, composite, confirming a synergistic effect. However, the formation of CO and CO2 exceeded the expected values, with the verification that the polymeric matrix underwent photodegradation action by TiO2. The polymeric film only containing zeolite is the most suitable for the removal of VOCs, as it did not present degradation of the PLA, generating a lower concentration of by‐products.