Development of Free-Standing Titanium Dioxide Hollow Nanofibers Photocatalyst with Enhanced Recyclability

Titanium dioxide hollow nanofibers (THN) are excellent photocatalysts for the photodegradation of Bisphenol A (BPA) due to their extensive surface area and good optical properties. A template synthesis technique is typically employed to produce titanium dioxide hollow nanofibers. This process, however, involves a calcination procedure at high temperatures that yields powder-form photocatalysts that require post-recovery treatment before recycling. Meanwhile, the immobilization of photocatalysts on/into a membrane has been reported to reduce the active surface area. Novel free-standing TiO2 hollow nanofibers were developed to overcome those shortcomings. The free-standing photocatalyst containing 0.75 g of THN (FS-THN-75) exhibited good adherence and connectivity between the nanofibers. The recyclability of FS-THN-75 outperformed the THN calcined at 600 degrees C (THN-600), which retained 80% of its original weight while maintaining excellent degradation performance. This study recommends the potential application of free-standing TiO2 hollow nanofibers as high potential novel photocatalysts for the treatment of BPA in wastewater.

Automated summary

Novel free-standing TiO2 hollow nanofibers have been developed to overcome the shortcomings of traditional TiO2 hollow nanofibers, showing better recyclability and excellent performance in degrading BPA, suggesting high potential for application in wastewater treatment.