Methods for embedding photocatalytic titanium dioxide in concrete surfaces to reduce pollutants via photocatalytic reactions are provided herein. One method includes mixing a solvent compound with an anatase titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) photocatalyst, applying an amount of concrete treatment compound to an upper surface of the concrete, the concrete treatment compound comprising a mixture of a liquid carrier compound with the anatase titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) photocatalyst.

A method for forming an oxide coated substrate comprising heating a pre-coating mixture in the presence of a substrate to synthesize an oxide coating on the substrate. The pre-coating mixture comprises a solubilized reducing additive, a solubilized oxidizing additive, and the substrate. The heating is conducted at a temperature sufficiently high enough to exothermically react the solubilized reducing additive and solubilized oxidizing additive and low enough to control the phase and composition of the oxide.

Methods for embedding photocatalytic titanium dioxide in concrete surfaces to reduce pollutants via photocatalytic reactions are provided herein. One method includes mixing a solvent compound with an anatase titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) photocatalyst, applying an amount of concrete treatment compound to an upper surface of the concrete, the concrete treatment compound comprising a mixture of a liquid carrier compound with the anatase titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) photocatalyst.

The present disclosure relates to a visible light-catalyzed translucent concrete, and a preparation method and use thereof. The preparation method includes: extracting an iron oxide from a copper slag, mixing the iron oxide with TiO.sub.2 to obtain a photocatalyst, and then mixing the photocatalyst with an additive to obtain a photocatalytic slurry; preparing a concrete slurry using the copper slag after iron extraction as an aggregate; and pouring the photocatalytic slurry, the concrete slurry, and the photocatalytic slurry in sequence into a mold pre-laid with an optical fiber, to obtain the visible light-catalyzed translucent concrete. In the visible light-catalyzed translucent concrete, iron in the copper slag is used as a part of raw materials of the photocatalyst, and the copper slag after iron extraction is used as an aggregate to replace natural sand and gravel. This solves environmental pollutions caused by the copper slag and realizes resource utilization.