Electrospun Fe2O3 entrenched SiO2 supported N and S dual incorporated TiO2 nanofibers derived from mixed polymeric template/surfactant: enriched mesoporosity within nanofibers, effective charge separation, and visible light photocatalysis activity
Author
Pradhan, Amaresh C.
Uyar, Tamer
Date
2019Source Title
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research
Print ISSN
0888-5885
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Volume
58
Issue
28
Pages
12535 - 12550
Language
English
Type
ArticleItem Usage Stats
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Abstract
The α-Fe2O3 promoted and SiO2 supported N and S dual incorporated TiO2 nanofibers (FeSiNST NFs) along with neat oxide NFs have been synthesized by electrospinning via sol–gel. The keen approach is that mixed polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as template and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant are responsible for the creation of mesoporosity within NFs. The photoluminescence (PL) spectrum and UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopic (DRS) result revealed the role of α-Fe2O3 as catalytic promoter in FeSiNST NFs by suppressing electron–hole (e––h+) recombination, red shifting, and oxygen vacancies (Ovs). The design of FeSiNST NFs by combining with SiO2 as catalytic support and N and S as visible light absorbers in TiO2, beautifies the present study. The high photocurrent (3.2 mA/cm2), high Efb value (−1.0 V), and low Rct value (∼74 Ω) support the enhanced photocatalysis (photoreduction and photodegradation) by FeSiNST in visible light. Charge transfer phenomena, Ovs, mesoporosity, and separation of e––h+ are the vital factors for an effective photocatalysis achievement.