Abstract
The present article describes a new titanium oxide-based (TiO2) photocatalyst that shows promise for acceleration of dye degradation. A hierarchical TiO2 nanostructure comprising nanorods on-nanofibres has been prepared using a sol-gel route and electrospinning. Calcination of electrospun nanofibre mats was performed in air at 500 °C. The TiO2 nanofibre surface was then exploited as a ‘seeding ground’ to grow TiO2 nanorods by a solvothermal process in NaOH. The nanofibres had a diameter of approximately 100 nm while the nanorods were evenly distributed on the nanofibre surface with a mean diameter of around 50–80 nm. The hierarchical nanostructure showed enhanced photocatalytic activity when compared to pure TiO2 nanofibres. This improved efficiency in degrading methylene blue through the photocatalytic process was attributed to the larger specific surface area of the TiO2 nanostructures, as well as high surface-to-volume ratio and higher reactive surface resulting in enhanced surface adsorption and interfacial redox reaction.
Highlights
Many developing and developed nations are faced with a tremendous set of environmental problems related to the remediation of hazardous wastes, contaminated groundwaters and the control of toxic air contaminants
The present study examines the potential to employ hierarchical TiO2 nanostructures, with a large aspect ratio, as photocatalysts for the degradation of methylene blue
We demonstrate for the first time successful growth of TiO2 nanorods on the surface of TiO2 nanofibres by combining sol‐gel, electrospinning and solvothermal methods
Summary
Many developing and developed nations are faced with a tremendous set of environmental problems related to the remediation of hazardous wastes, contaminated groundwaters and the control of toxic air contaminants. Snyanntohteescishnoof lT.,iO2201H2i,erVaorcl.h2ic,aAl rNt.an9o:2f0ib1r2e 1 Structures via Electrospinning and Solvothermal Processes: Photocatalytic Activity for Degradation of Methylene Blue during manufacturing or processing operations.[1] Water contamination by methylene blue and similar dyes is a major environmental concern.[2,3] Some azo dyes and their degradation products, such as aromatic amines, are highly carcinogenic.[4] Proper treatment of the dye plant effluent is a matter of concern before discharge This requires an innovation of the best technology, which can be efficiently used for the removal and remediation of dyes. We show that these hierarchical nanostructures exhibit superior photocatalytic efficiency over pure TiO2 nanofibres in the decolouration of methylene blue
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