Solvothermal Synthesis of TiO₂/CNFs Heterostructures with Photocatalytic Activity

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles ( TiO 2 NPs ) embedded carbon nanofibers (CNFs) have been successfully prepared by electrospinning technique, solvothermal synthesis and high-temperature calcination processes. The as-obtained products were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. The results of characterization revealed that solvothermal treatment and high-temperature calcination were beneficial to the synthesis of anatase TiO 2 . Compared to the as-fabricated TiO 2 powder, TiO 2 NPs contained in the TiO 2 /CNFs were successfully grown on the surface of CNFs without aggregation. The photocatalytic activities of the TiO 2 /CNFs heterostructures were evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under UV light irradiation for 14h. The TiO 2 /CNFs exhibited higher photocatalytic activities than pure TiO 2 powder, which were attributed to the small size of TiO 2 NPs, electron transfer, high adsorption properties of CNFs and the formation of heterostructures between TiO 2 and CNFs. Moreover, in aqueous solution, the as-prepared TiO 2 /CNFs could be easily recycled for the application of CNFs.