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The role of iron functionalization on the visible-light photocatalytic performance of TiO2 nanofibers suitable for environmental applications

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Abstract

In the present work, iron-functionalized TiO2 nanofibers have been successfully synthesized by an electrospinning system and the resulting nanofibers were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultra-violet-visible spectroscopy. Microscopic studies revealed that TiO2 nanofibers with average diameters of ~60 to 65 nm were formed during the electrospinning process while their diameters increased to ~85 to 90 nm by iron functionalization. Moreover, the photocatalytic activities of pristine and iron-functionalized TiO2 nanofibers were measured by photodegradation of methyl orange (MO) as a model dye under visible-light irradiation. It was found that iron-functionalized TiO2 nanofibers extended the light absorption spectrum toward the visible region and noticeably improved the photodegradation of MO under visible-light irradiation. Furthermore, there is an optimum amount of FeCl3 to reach to the highest photocatalytic performance of iron-functionalized TiO2 nanofibers under visible-light.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran

    Pegah Shahini, Ali Akbar Ashkarran & Ali Bahari

  2. Nanobiotechnology Research Group, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran

    Habib Hamidinezhad

Authors
  1. Pegah Shahini
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  2. Ali Akbar Ashkarran
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  3. Habib Hamidinezhad
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  4. Ali Bahari
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Correspondence to Ali Akbar Ashkarran.

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Shahini, P., Ashkarran, A.A., Hamidinezhad, H. et al. The role of iron functionalization on the visible-light photocatalytic performance of TiO2 nanofibers suitable for environmental applications. Res Chem Intermed 42, 8273–8284 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11164-016-2595-7

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