Photosensitization of TiO₂ nanofibers by Ag₂S with the synergistic effect of excess surface Ti³⁺ states for enhanced photocatalytic activity under simulated sunlight.

ABSTRACT: TiO₂ nanofibers, with mean diameter ~200 nm, were fabricated by electrospinning and successfully photosensitized with low bandgap Ag₂S nanoparticles of 11, 17, 23 and 40 nm mean sizes, with corresponding loading of 4, 10, 18 and 29 wt.% Ag₂S, respectively. 17 nm Ag₂S@TiO₂ nanofibers exhibited optimal activity in the photodegradation of methylene blue under simulated sunlight with pseudo-first order rate constant of 0.019 min^-1 compared to 0.009 min^-1 for pure TiO₂ nanofibers. In spite of greater visible-light absorption and reduced bandgap, larger than 17 nm Ag₂S nanoparticles exhibited sluggish photodegradation kinetics probably due to less photo-induced carriers generation in TiO₂

SUBMITTER: Ghafoor S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5428275 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature