Abstract
In this report, Janus nanofibers were produced with a self-designed parallel nozzle by electrospinning of a polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/dimethylformamide (DMF) solution of zinc oxide (ZnO), which is a typical UV absorbing photocatalyst, and a PAN/DMF solution of manganese oxide/cerium oxide (Mn3O4/CeO2), which absorbs visible light. The produced Janus nanofibers were analyzed through X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The Janus fibers were composed of side by side fibers, one side of the fiber contained ZnO while Mn3O4/CeO2 was accommodated onto the other side. The photocatalytic properties were confirmed using a methylene blue solution. Compared to the conventional nanofibers (CFs), as-produced Janus nanofibers showed higher performance in both UV and visible-light conditions. Moreover, results revealed that it was possible to control their photocatalytic performance under the desired light wavelength by adjusting the ratio of photocatalysts concentration on each side of the fiber. The membranes composed of functional Janus nanofibers fabricated by a specially designed nozzle can be highly exploitable in water purification, photocatalysis, etc.
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