Synthesis of TiO2 nanofibers with adjustable anatase/rutile ratio from Ti sol and rutile nanoparticles for the degradation of pollutants in wastewater

TiO2 nanofibers with adjustable anatase/rutile ratios were fabricated via a novel method involving electrospinning from Ti sol and rutile nanoparticles. Rutile TiO2 nanoparticles were directly added to the Ti sol spinning solution. The Ti sol spinning solution was completely transformed into anatase TiO2 after calcination, and the TiO2 nanofibers contained rutile and anatase phases of different proportions. Although the diameter of the TiO2 nanofibers increased after adding the nanoparticles, their surface roughness increased because the TiO2 nanoparticles were distributed on the fiber surface. The reduction in electron–hole recombination rates improved the photocatalytic activity because of the interactions between the rutile and anatase phases. The 40 min methylene blue solution (10 mg/L) decomposition rate photocatalyzed by the TiO2 nanofibers reached 90.7%, although the specific surface area of the TiO2 nanofibers fabricated by adding 20 wt% rutile nanoparticles to the spinning solution was only 20.74 m2/g.