Photoassisted heterogeneous catalysis with optical fibers: I. Isolated single fiber

Recently reported varieties of photoassisted heterogeneous catalysts are summarized. A cylindrical, light carrying, optical fiber coated with a catalyst layer is evaluated as a novel configuration for all such light assisted catalysis. Equations are obtained which describe the light intensity in the fiber and its surrounding catalyst layer. A dimensionless group of the form Φ = (4α c β c dL )/( d f ) [ d = d c for d c < λ, d = 0(λ) for d c > λ] determines the relative influence of light loss by all absorption and scattering to light transported in the fiber length. An effectiveness factor η I for heterogeneous photoassisted catalysis is determined for reactions which are first order in intensity and without mass transport limitations. Asymptotic forms of η I are η I = 1.0 (Φ ≪ 1.0) and η I = Φ −1 (Φ ≫ 1.0).