Rapid Photocatalytic Degradation of Pollutant from Water under UV and Sunlight via Cellulose Nanofiber Aerogel Wrapped by TiO 2

Abstract

Semiconductor photocatalysis can be used to decompose various organic compounds in open air under aqueous conditions with solar energy. A cellulose nanofiber/TiO 2 aerogel (CNFT) for rapid photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) solution was successfully fabricated through a facile hydrothermal method. TiO 2 nanoparticles adhered to the surface of cellulose nanofibers as scaffold through a hydrogen bond and were well-distributed. The particle size distribution data showed that the mean diameter of TiO 2 nanoparticles was around 6.8 nm. In the system of the as-prepared CNFT, CNF played important roles in adsorption of pollutant and in stopping the electron hole derived from TiO 2 from recombining. The composite aerogel exhibited efficient photocatalytic activity in the degradation of pollutant (MB) under ultraviolet light (UV) and sunlight irradiation. The composite aerogel could be regarded as a green and portable photocatalyst, because it was promising for wastewater treatment application as a result of its good high photocatalytic activity and stability under ultraviolet light and sunlight irradiation.