NiO/Bi2MoxW1−xO6 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) nanofibers as a bifunctional platform boosting photocatalytic tetracycline conversion and electrocatalytic oxygen reduction

Abstract

Catalysts with multifunctional catalytic properties hold great promise in energy conversion and environmental remediation. Herein, a series of 1D hollow NiO/Bi2MoxW1−xO6 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1) nanofibers are fabricated via pyrolysis of electrospinning precursor. Integrating the hollow structural merits of large specific surface area, abundant active sites, and built-in electric field, this novel NiO/Bi2MoxW1−xO6 nanofibers act as a bifunctional platform boosting photocatalytic tetracycline conversion and electrocatalytic oxygen reduction. NiO/Bi2Mo0.75W0.25O6 solid solution nanofiber delivers a 99.5 % photocatalytic degradation in 120 min for tetracycline (TC) solution with attractive stability, outperforming its NiO/Bi2MoO6 or NiO/Bi2WO6 counterparts. Radical trapping experiments show that ∙O2⁻ is the key oxidative radical in the photocatalytic reaction. Moreover, the NiO/Bi2Mo0.75W0.25O6 solid solution nanofiber exhibits an improved ORR activity in alkaline media with a half-wave potential of 0.63 V, and Tafel slope of 76 mV dec−1, along with high stability. We expect this work to inspire the design of multi-functional catalysts for photocatalytic water treatment and electrocatalytic energy conversion.