Surface-deposited nanofibrous TiO2 for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants

Photocatalysis is considered as an environment-friendly process able to decompose organic pollutants and increasingly applied to water and air purification. Photocatalysts having the morphology of a fibrous layer are attractive candidates for practical applications due to their high structural dimensionality and improved photocatalytic performance. This paper describes the production and characterization of supported TiO 2 nanofibre layers, produced by electrospinning process and deposited on a glass plate via solvent evaporation. The obtained structures were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmittance electron microscopies, and ellipsometry. Depending on calcination temperature, fibres contained anatase or anatase and rutile crystal phases of TiO 2 . The supported nanofibres formed a compact but fenestrate layer. The catalytic activity was determined by the decomposition of methylene blue and oxalic acid under UV light. The nanofibre layer proved as a competitive catalyst media based on structural properties and the degradation efficiency of several organic pollutants. Graphical abstract