Preparation of fiber-based plasmonic photocatalyst and its photocatalytic performance under the visible light

• Fiber-based plasmonic photocatalyst was developed.
• The photocatalyst showed enhanced photocatalytic property under the visible light.
• High stability and recyclability of photocatalyst was observed.
• The enhancement originated from the separation of electron–hole in the material.

This paper reported the preparation of fiber-based plasmonic photocatalyst consisting of nano-scale Ag-AgBr, sub-micro TiO2 and micro-scale glass fiber (GF). Various techniques were employed to study the morphology, structure and optical properties of the developed materials. The results showed that Ag-AgBr nanoparticles were highly dispersed on the surface of spherical TiO2/GF, and the fibers exhibited a unique morphology of helical cracks along the fiber direction. The photocatalytic activities of obtained photocatalyst were evaluated by degrading methyl orange and phenol as model pollutants under the visible-light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm). Inspiringly, the material exhibited wide absorption in the visible light and superior visible-light-driven photocatalytic activities compared with other TiO2-based plasmonic photocatalysts. The improved photocatalytic performance was attributed to the synergistic effects arising from the hetero-junctions in the sample as well as the surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanoparticles. The integration of GF with plasmonic particles endowed the photocatalyst a high stability and reusability under the cyclic operations.

Fibre-based plasmonic photocatalyst with hierarchical structures was developed. The materials showed enhanced photocatalytic performance and reusability under the visible light thanks to the efficient capability to separate photo-generated electron–hole pairs in the sample.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide