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The role of multi-level structure for the improved photocatalytic performance of TiO2 fiber nanomaterial

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Abstract

A TiO2 multi-structured fiber nanomaterial was prepared via a template-assisted two-step method, and the effect of the pH value of the precursor solution on the structure of TiO2 nanofibers was mainly investigated. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue solution was used as the model reaction to evaluate the photocatalytic property of the as-prepared TiO2 nanomaterials. Results indicated that the pH value of the precursor solution obviously influenced the formation and microstructure and photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 fiber nanomaterials. The multi-structured fiber nanomaterial showed better photocatalytic property. It was considered that high efficiencies of reactant molecules adsorption, light absorption, and separation of photogenerated e −–h + pairs played crucial roles for enhancing its photocatalytic property. In particular, the need of better understanding the relation of the light absorption and charge transport to the nanostructure has to be pointed out in this paper.

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Acknowledgments

This work was performed with the financial support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project 21174114), the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University of Ministry of Education of China (Project IRT1177), the Scientific and Technical Plan Project of Gansu Province (No. 1204GKCA006), the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province (Project 1010RJZA024), and the Scientific and Technical Innovation Project of Northwest Normal University (nwnu-kjcxgc-03-63).

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  1. Key Laboratory of Eco-Environment-Related Polymer Materials, Ministry of Education of China, Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials of Gansu Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, People’s Republic of China

    Bitao Su, Junlian Xin, Jianjiao Li, Tao Zheng, Qizhao Wang & Ziqiang Lei

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  1. Bitao Su
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  2. Junlian Xin
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  3. Jianjiao Li
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Su, B., Xin, J., Li, J. et al. The role of multi-level structure for the improved photocatalytic performance of TiO2 fiber nanomaterial. Appl. Phys. A 122, 32 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-015-9559-4

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