Fabrication of Ag/TiO₂/Fe₂TiO₅ nanofibers by electrospinning and their enhanced photocatalytic activity

Herein, Ag/TiO₂/Fe₂TiO₅ nanofiber composites with different contents of Ag were prepared using electrospinning with a calcining process. The structure and morphology of Ag/TiO₂/Fe₂TiO₅ were characterized by TG-DTA, FT-IR, XRD, and SEM. The results shown that the organic template was completely decomposed at about 670°C. It can also find the rutile and anatase TiO₂ coexisted in TiO₂ nanofibers, but the peaks of anatase TiO₂ disappeared in Fe₂TiO₅/TiO₂. In addition, when Ag added in the Fe₂TiO₅/TiO₂, the peaks of Fe₂TiO₅ and TiO₂ have been strengthened greatly. It can conclude that the Fe³⁺ and Ag⁺ have an opposite effect on the crystal growing of the sample. In addition, the Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) were well distributed in the surface of TiO₂/Fe₂TiO₅. The UV-Vis DRS and electrochemical tests indicated that the light absorption and carries separation of Ag/TiO₂/Fe₂TiO₅ were enhanced obviously. Since the surface plasmon resonance effect of AgNPs and synergistic effect, the as-prepared composite (the content of Ag was 3% mol) show a higher photocatalytic performance in degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB 99.6%) than that of pure-TiO₂ and TiO₂/Fe₂TiO₅. (paper)