Controlled Synthesis of TiO2 Hierarchical Nanofibre Structures via Electrospinning and Solvothermal Processes: Photocatalytic Activity for Degradation of Methylene Blue

The present article describes a new titanium oxide‐based (TiO2) photocatalyst that shows promise for acceleration of dye degradation. A hierarchical TiO2 nanostructure comprising nanorods on‐nanofibres has been prepared using a sol–gel route and electrospinning. Calcination of electrospun nanobre m...

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Main Authors: Fredrick O. Ochanda, Sitarama Rajukada, Matthew R. Barnett
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-09-01
Series:Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.intechopen.com/journals/nanomaterials_and_nanotechnology/controlled-synthesis-of-tio2-hierarchical-nanofibre-structures-via-electrospinning-and-solvothermal-
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author Fredrick O. Ochanda
Sitarama Rajukada
Matthew R. Barnett
author_facet Fredrick O. Ochanda
Sitarama Rajukada
Matthew R. Barnett
author_sort Fredrick O. Ochanda
collection DOAJ
description The present article describes a new titanium oxide‐based (TiO2) photocatalyst that shows promise for acceleration of dye degradation. A hierarchical TiO2 nanostructure comprising nanorods on‐nanofibres has been prepared using a sol–gel route and electrospinning. Calcination of electrospun nanobre mats was performed in air at 500 °C. The TiO2 nanofibre surface was then exploited as a ‘seeding ground’ to grow TiO2 nanorods by a solvothermal process in NaOH. The nanofibres had a diameter of approximately 100 nm while the nanorods were evenly distributed on the nanofibre surface with a mean diameter of around 50–80 nm. The hierarchical nanostructure showed enhanced photocatalytic activity when compared to pure TiO2 nanofibres. This improved efficiency in degrading methylene blue through the photocatalytic process was attributed to the larger specific surface area of the TiO2 nanostructures, as well as high surface‐to‐volume ratio and higher reactive surface resulting in enhanced surface adsorption and interfacial redox reaction.
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spelling doaj-art-00d262ccc1024f5bb6ca124eb993ea7e2025-08-20T02:02:48ZengWileyNanomaterials and Nanotechnology1847-98042012-09-0129http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/5319038916Controlled Synthesis of TiO2 Hierarchical Nanofibre Structures via Electrospinning and Solvothermal Processes: Photocatalytic Activity for Degradation of Methylene BlueFredrick O. OchandaSitarama RajukadaMatthew R. BarnettThe present article describes a new titanium oxide‐based (TiO2) photocatalyst that shows promise for acceleration of dye degradation. A hierarchical TiO2 nanostructure comprising nanorods on‐nanofibres has been prepared using a sol–gel route and electrospinning. Calcination of electrospun nanobre mats was performed in air at 500 °C. The TiO2 nanofibre surface was then exploited as a ‘seeding ground’ to grow TiO2 nanorods by a solvothermal process in NaOH. The nanofibres had a diameter of approximately 100 nm while the nanorods were evenly distributed on the nanofibre surface with a mean diameter of around 50–80 nm. The hierarchical nanostructure showed enhanced photocatalytic activity when compared to pure TiO2 nanofibres. This improved efficiency in degrading methylene blue through the photocatalytic process was attributed to the larger specific surface area of the TiO2 nanostructures, as well as high surface‐to‐volume ratio and higher reactive surface resulting in enhanced surface adsorption and interfacial redox reaction.http://www.intechopen.com/journals/nanomaterials_and_nanotechnology/controlled-synthesis-of-tio2-hierarchical-nanofibre-structures-via-electrospinning-and-solvothermal-titanium oxidehierarchical nanostructuresphotocatalystselectrospinning
spellingShingle Fredrick O. Ochanda
Sitarama Rajukada
Matthew R. Barnett
Controlled Synthesis of TiO2 Hierarchical Nanofibre Structures via Electrospinning and Solvothermal Processes: Photocatalytic Activity for Degradation of Methylene Blue
Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology
titanium oxide
hierarchical nanostructures
photocatalysts
electrospinning
title Controlled Synthesis of TiO2 Hierarchical Nanofibre Structures via Electrospinning and Solvothermal Processes: Photocatalytic Activity for Degradation of Methylene Blue
title_full Controlled Synthesis of TiO2 Hierarchical Nanofibre Structures via Electrospinning and Solvothermal Processes: Photocatalytic Activity for Degradation of Methylene Blue
title_fullStr Controlled Synthesis of TiO2 Hierarchical Nanofibre Structures via Electrospinning and Solvothermal Processes: Photocatalytic Activity for Degradation of Methylene Blue
title_full_unstemmed Controlled Synthesis of TiO2 Hierarchical Nanofibre Structures via Electrospinning and Solvothermal Processes: Photocatalytic Activity for Degradation of Methylene Blue
title_short Controlled Synthesis of TiO2 Hierarchical Nanofibre Structures via Electrospinning and Solvothermal Processes: Photocatalytic Activity for Degradation of Methylene Blue
title_sort controlled synthesis of tio2 hierarchical nanofibre structures via electrospinning and solvothermal processes photocatalytic activity for degradation of methylene blue
topic titanium oxide
hierarchical nanostructures
photocatalysts
electrospinning
url http://www.intechopen.com/journals/nanomaterials_and_nanotechnology/controlled-synthesis-of-tio2-hierarchical-nanofibre-structures-via-electrospinning-and-solvothermal-
work_keys_str_mv AT fredrickoochanda controlledsynthesisoftio2hierarchicalnanofibrestructuresviaelectrospinningandsolvothermalprocessesphotocatalyticactivityfordegradationofmethyleneblue
AT sitaramarajukada controlledsynthesisoftio2hierarchicalnanofibrestructuresviaelectrospinningandsolvothermalprocessesphotocatalyticactivityfordegradationofmethyleneblue
AT matthewrbarnett controlledsynthesisoftio2hierarchicalnanofibrestructuresviaelectrospinningandsolvothermalprocessesphotocatalyticactivityfordegradationofmethyleneblue