Fabrication of Novel Poly (Ethylene Terephthalate)/TiO2 Nanofibers by Electrospinning and their Photocatalytic Activity

Abstract

Novel functional poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/TiO2 nanofibers have been prepared by electrospinning the homogeneous solution of PET and titania precursor, tetra-n-butyl titanate (TBT), in trifluoroacitic acid (TFA). In situ growth of TiO2 nanoparticles in electrospun PET nanofibers has been successfully achieved via a simple hydrothermal process at low temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed that the crystalline phase of TiO2 nanoparticles in PET electrospun nanofibers was anatase phase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation revealed that anatase TiO2 nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed both on the surface and inside of the PET nanofibers. The as-prepared PET/TiO2 nanofibers showed highly photocatalytic activity and excellent reutilization properties in photodegradation of methyl orange.