Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of electrospun niobium oxide nanofibers

Journal Article · Fri Mar 15 04:00:00 EDT 2013 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2012.11.074· OSTI ID:22290398

Qi, Shishun ^[1]; Zuo, Ruzhong ^[1]; Liu, Yi ^[1]; Wang, Yu ^[2]

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1. Institute of Electro Ceramics and Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China)
2. Department of Applied Physics and Materials Research Center, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (China)

Graphical abstract: Different morphologies are obtained for the electrospun niobium oxide nanofibers with different phase structures. The nanofibers of the two phase structures present different band gap value and the light absorption. Hexagonal phase nanofibers show better photocatalytic activity compared with the orthorhombic nanofibers. Highlights: ► Niobium oxide nanofibers of two phase structures were fabricated by electrospinning. ► Photocatalytic properties of the niobium oxide nanofibers were first explored. ► Nanofibers of different phase structures showed different photocatalytic activities. ► Reasons for the differences in the photocatalysis were carefully discussed. - Abstract: Niobium oxide (Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}) nanofibers have been synthesized by sol–gel based electrospinning technique. Pure hexagonal phase (H-Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}) and orthorhombic phase (O-Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}) nanofibers were obtained by thermally annealing the electrospun Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}/polyvinylpyrrolidone composite fibers in air at 500 °C and 700 °C, respectively. The fibers were characterized using the X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, specific surface area analyzer and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Photocatalytic activities of the obtained nanofibers were evaluated depending on the degradation of methyl orange. The results indicate that the heat-treatment temperature, the crystalline structure and the morphology affected the physical and chemical properties of the as-prepared Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanofibers. The H-Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanofibers obtained at lower temperature showed better potential for the application as a promising photocatalyst.

• OSTI ID: 22290398
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Journal Name: Materials Research Bulletin Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 48; ISSN MRBUAC; ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANNEALING
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
METHYL ORANGE
NANOSTRUCTURES
NIOBATES
NIOBIUM OXIDES
ORTHORHOMBIC LATTICES
PHOTOCATALYSIS
PVP
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SYNTHESIS
VISIBLE RADIATION
X-RAY DIFFRACTION