Application of Fe modified PAN nano-micron fiber catalyst to degradation of azo dye

Polyacrylonitrile(PAN) nano-micron fiber obtained using electrospinning technique was first amidoximated,and then reacted with ferric chloride to prepare the Fe-modified PAN nano-micron fiber as a heterogeneous Fenton catalyst.Based on the characterization,the catalytic function of the catalyst on the oxidative degradation of commonly used dye Reactive Red 195 was investigated.Some factors affecting the degradation such as Fe content of the catalyst,irradiation intensity and H2O2 initial concentration were examined.The results indicated that increasing the amidoxime groups of PAN nanomicron fibers could produce the catalysts with high Fe content.The dye degradation efficiency was accelerated by increasing Fe content of the catalyst and irradiation intensity.The best degradation was achieved when initial concentration of H2O2 being at 3.0 mmol/L.Moreover,the catalyst showed the catalytic reactivity for the azo linkage and aromatic part of the dye molecules,thus causing their mineralization.