Reusable BiFeO3 Nanofiber-Based Membranes for Photo-activated Organic Pollutant Removal with Negligible Colloidal Release

Abstract

We report on electrospinning-assisted fabrication of highly efficient and reusable BiFeO3 nanofiber-based membranes for photo-activated organic pollutant removal with negligible colloidal release. For validation purposes, we exploit a fluorescent rhodamine B (RhB)-doped solution photo-degraded using visible and infrared illumination (λ ≥ 400 nm) from a solar simulator. As such, pollutant degradation can be directly monitored in real time. Fabrication yields an outstanding control of the fibers’ morphology, and metal-enhanced photocatalytic properties are achieved by coating the nanofiber membranes with few nanometers of platinum using sputtering technique. This chemical-free functionalization of the nanofibers allows rapid and efficient RhB degradation. After optimization, 2.4 mg of photocatalyst achieves 93% removal after 150 min under solar illumination, which is impressively more efficient compared with previous reports. Most importantly, the colloidal release-free photocatalysis activity coupled to a manufacturing-ready fabrication process makes it ideal for large-scale deployment using industrial grade equipment.