Ta(3)N(5)-Pt nonwoven cloth with hierarchical nanopores as efficient and easily recyclable macroscale photocatalysts

Traditional nanosized photocatalysts usually have high photocatalytic activity but can not be efficiently recycled. Film-shaped photocatalysts on the substrates can be easily recycled, but they have low surface area and/or high production cost. To solve these problems, we report on the design and preparation of efficient and easily recyclable macroscale photocatalysts with nanostructure by using Ta(3)N(5) as a model semiconductor. Ta(3)N(5)-Pt nonwoven cloth has been prepared by an electrospinning-calcination-nitridation-wet impregnation method, and it is composed of Ta(3)N(5) fibers with diameter of 150–200 nm and hierarchical pores. Furthermore, these fibers are constructed from Ta(3)N(5) nanoparticles with diameter of ~25 nm which are decorated with Pt nanoparticles with diameter of ~2.5 nm. Importantly, Ta(3)N(5)-Pt cloth can be used as an efficient and easily recyclable macroscale photocatalyst with wide visible-light response, for the degradation of methylene blue and parachlorophenol, probably resulting in a very promising application as “photocatalyst dam” for the polluted river.