Preparation of Bi-based porous and magnetic electrospun fibers and their photocatalytic properties in weak polar medium

Abstract

Preparation of high photocatalytic and efficient photocatalysts suitable for application and easy for recovery were the project of research. In the present work, di-component and tri-component porous and magnetic photocatalysts were prepared based on electrospinning and calcination. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), which was introduced in to mediate the electrospinning, was still the sacrifice component for pore producing. Therefore, an easier preparation method for porous electrospun fibers was afforded. Then the catalytic properties of the fibers toward methyl orange (MO) were tested. Although the target fibers almost had no photocatalysis in water due to their low hydrophilicity. While their photocatalytic effect was greatly improved by adjustment of the reaction medium. In THF: H2O (volume ratio = 3:2), the tricomponent photocatalyst could remove 100 % of 40 ppm of MO within 10 min showing excellent photocatalytic effect due to the improvement of interfaces between the catalysts and contaminants. The high photocatalytic effect and magnetic response endowed the as-prepared fibers being efficient and easy for recovery photocatalysts.