Electrospun nanofibers of TiO2/CdS heteroarchitectures with enhanced photocatalytic activity by visible light.

Herein, we have demonstrated that the electrospun nanofibers of TiO(2)/CdS heteroarchitectures could be fabricated through combining electrospinning technique with hydrothermal process. The configuration, crystal structure, and element composition of the as-prepared TiO(2)/CdS heteroarchitectures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), resonant Raman spectrometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicated that the high-density hexagonal wurtzite CdS crystalline particles of ca. 6-40 nm in diameter were uniformly and closely grown on anatase TiO(2) nanofibers. Especially, the light-absorption properties as well as photocatalytic characteristics of pure TiO(2) nanofibers and TiO(2)/CdS heteroarchitectures with different amount loading of CdS were also investigated. The absorption of TiO(2)/CdS heteroarchitectures was extended to the visible due to effective immobilization of sensitizing agent CdS on TiO(2). In contrast with the pure TiO(2) nanofibers, the TiO(2)/CdS heteroarchitectures showed excellent photocatalytic activity by using rhodamine B dye as a model organic substrate under visible-light irradiation. It was worth noting that the cooperative photocatalytic mechanism of the TiO(2)/CdS heteroarchitectures was also discussed.

Su C ，Shao C ，Liu Y 《-》

Electrospun nanofibers of V-doped TiO2 with high photocatalytic activity.

In this work, V-doped TiO(2) nanofibers with different V contents have been fabricated by an electrospinning technique. The as-prepared nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance (DR) spectroscopy. The results indicated that the V(4+) or V(5+) ions were successfully incorporated into the crystal lattice of anatase TiO(2) nanofibers. Meanwhile, the V doping could extend the visible light absorption of TiO(2) nanofibers. The photocatalytic experiments indicated that the obtained V-doped TiO(2) nanofibers possessed high activity for the photodegradation of organic pollutant methylene blue (MB). Especially, the 1.0 and 5.0 wt.% V-doped TiO(2) nanofibers exhibited the best catalytic activity under visible and ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation, respectively. Also, these nanofibers could be easily recycled without a decrease of the photocatalytic activity.

Zhang Z ，Shao C ，Zhang L ，Li X ，Liu Y ... -  《-》

Enhancement of the visible-light photocatalytic activity of In2O3-TiO2 nanofiber heteroarchitectures.

One-dimensional In(2)O(3)-TiO(2) heteroarchitectures with high visible-light photocatalytic activity have been successfully obtained by a simple combination of electrospinning technique and solvothermal process. The as-obtained products were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV-vis spectra. The results revealed that the secondary In(2)O(3) nanostructures were successfully grown on the primary TiO(2) nanofibers substrates. Compared with the pure TiO(2) nanofibers, the obtained In(2)O(3)-TiO(2) heteroarchitectures showed enhancement of the visible-light photocatalytic activity to degrade rhodamine B (RB) because of the formation of heteroarchitectures, which might improve the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes derived from the coupling effect of TiO(2) and In(2)O(3) heteroarchitectures. Moreover, the In(2)O(3)-TiO(2) heteroarchitectures could be easily recycled without the decrease in the photocatalytic activity because of their one-dimensional nanostructural property.

Mu J ，Chen B ，Zhang M ，Guo Z ，Zhang P ，Zhang Z ，Sun Y ，Shao C ，Liu Y ... -  《-》

Electrospun nanofibers of Bi-doped TiO2 with high photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation.

Bi-doped TiO(2) nanofibers with different Bi content were firstly prepared by an electrospinning method. The as-prepared nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), photoluminescence spectra (PL), and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The results indicated that Bi(3+) ions were successfully incorporated into TiO(2) and extended the absorption of TiO(2) into visible light region. The photocatalytic experiments showed that Bi-doped TiO(2) nanofibers exhibited higher activities than sole TiO(2) in the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and phenol under visible light irradiation (λ>420 nm), and 3% Bi:TiO(2) samples showed the highest photocatalytic activities.

Xu J ，Wang W ，Shang M ，Gao E ，Zhang Z ，Ren J ... -  《-》

Hierarchical nanostructures of copper(II) phthalocyanine on electrospun TiO(2) nanofibers: controllable solvothermal-fabrication and enhanced visible photocatalytic properties.

Zhang M ，Shao C ，Guo Z ，Zhang Z ，Mu J ，Cao T ，Liu Y ... -  《ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces》