Synergistic photocatalytic effect of TiO2 coatings and p-type semiconductive SiC foam supports for degradation of organic contaminant

•The structured TiO2–SiC were prepared using a composite sol–gel method.•The p-type SiC foam support was used in photocatalysis for the first time.•The TiO2–SiC enhanced the photocatalytic efficiency by a synergistic effect. Structured TiO2–SiC photocatalysts were prepared by coating TiO2 nanoparticles on Si incorporated SiC foam supports, and their photocatalytic activities toward degradation of organic contaminant under UV light irradiation were evaluated by taking 4-aminobenzenesulfonic acid (4-ABS) as a model contaminant. In comparison to SiC foam support and TiO2 nanoparticles the TiO2–SiC photocatalysts exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic performance. The effects of coating thickness of TiO2 and pore sizes of the SiC foam supports on the photocatalytic activities were studied. A synergistic photocatalytic effect between the p-type semiconductive SiC foam supports and the n-type TiO2 coating was proposed to account for this enhanced photocatalytic properties.