Effect of calcinations temperature on structural properties, phase transformation and photocatalytic activity of electrospun TiO2 nanofibers

Abstract

TiO2 nanofibers were fabricated via an electrospinning method. Titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TIP) and poly (viny pyrrolidone) (PVP) were used as a starting precursor. The electrospun TiO2 nanofibers were obtained by injecting the precursor through a needle under a strong electrical field. As-spun fibers were calcined at 500, 600, 700, 800 and 900 °C for 2 h. The structural of properties of the nanofibers were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning electron microscope (SEM). XRD results indicated that the crystallinity of TiO2 nanofibers corresponds to rutile and anatase phase of TiO2 depending on calcinations temperature. SEM results indicated that the surface morphology and size TiO2 nanofibers. The photocatalytic degradation of RhB may be attributed to significant absorption enhancement in visible region by phase transformation of TiO2 nanofibers and fiber size dependence active surface areas. © (2013) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.