Ta3N5-Pt nonwoven cloth with hierarchical nanopores as efficient and easily recyclable macroscale photocatalysts

Sci Rep. 2014 Feb 5:4:3978. doi: 10.1038/srep03978.

Abstract

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 Ta3N5 as a model semiconductor. Ta3N5-Pt nonwoven cloth has been prepared by an electrospinning-calcination-nitridation-wet impregnation method, and it is composed of Ta3N5 fibers with diameter of 150-200 nm and hierarchical pores. Furthermore, these fibers are constructed from Ta3N5 nanoparticles with diameter of ~25 nm which are decorated with Pt nanoparticles with diameter of ~2.5 nm. Importantly, Ta3N5-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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Catalysis
  • Environmental Restoration and Remediation / methods*
  • Light
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nanofibers / chemistry*
  • Photochemical Processes*
  • Photochemistry
  • Tantalum / chemistry*
  • Water Pollutants / chemistry

Substances

  • Water Pollutants
  • Tantalum