Electrospinning Fabricating Au/TiO(2) Network-like Nanofibers as Visible Light Activated Photocatalyst

Exploiting photocatalysts with characteristics of low cost, high reactivity and easy recovery offer great potentials for complete elimination of toxic chemicals and environmental remediation. In this work, Au/TiO(2) network-like nanofibers were fabricated using a facile electrospinning technique followed by calcinations in air. Photocatalytic tests indicate that the Au/TiO(2) network-like nanofibers possess an excellent photodegradation rate of rhodamine B (RB) under UV, visible and natural light radiation. The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the plasmonic resonance absorption of Au nanoparticles, and photogenerated electrons and holes are effectively separated by the Au/TiO(2) heterojunction structures. Furthermore, the three-dimensional network structure can provide a large number of active sites for RB degradation.