Plasma enhanced decoration of nc-TiO2 on electrospun PVDF fibers for photocatalytic application

Abstract The combination of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and electrospun PVDF fibers to obtain organic-inorganic composite membranes has been of great interest in many fields, including photocatalysis, sensors, filtration, membrane anti-fouling and wastewater treatment. The weak adhesion between TiO2 and the organic substrate, however, is still a key obstacle that inhibits the practicability and reuse of TiO2-PVDF functional membranes. Herein, we provide an improved and effective strategy for in situ growth of high adhesion of TiO2 NPs on PVDF fibers via a combined approach of electrospinning, DBD cold plasma pretreatment and hydrothermal reaction. Sufficient titanium source was embedded in the electrospun fibers in advance, and the following DBD cold plasma treatment remarkably increases the number of reactive sites to induce TiO2 growth from the inside out, thereby firmly attaching to the PVDF fibers. The as-prepared TiO2-PVDF membranes exhibit improved and stable performance for CO2 photoreduction.