Photocatalytic activity of carbon nanofibers loading AgBr–TiO₂composites under visible light irradiation

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) containing sliver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were prepared via in situ reduction, electrospinning, and high-temperature calcination technique. Tetrabutyl titanate, the precursor of titanium dioxide (TiO2), was adsorbed to the surface of Ag/CNFs by physical adsorption process. Ag–TiO2/CNFs nanocomposites were obtained by high-temperature calcination treatment. Then, Ag NPs were oxidized to sliver bromide (AgBr) using bromine (Br2) as an oxidant. The characterizations of scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, proved that AgBr and anatase TiO2 NPs deposited on the surface of CNFs. The photocatalytic experiments exhibited that the as-prepared AgBr–TiO2/CNFs were easily recycled and the introduction of AgBr NPs made them possess well photocatalytic activity under visible light (λ ≥ 400 nm).