Preparation of fluorescein-functionalized electrospun fibers coated with TiO2 and gold nanoparticles for visible-light-induced photocatalysis

Abstract

We demonstrated a new type of visible light-induced photocatalyst, comprising fluorescein molecules, TiO2, and gold nanoparticles anchored onto polymer fibers. The synthesized fiber composite was fully characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, contact angle measurement, and fluorescence microscopy. Under sunlight and visible light irradiation, the photocatalytic activity of the tricomponent system showed 2-3 times greater photodegradation efficiency for methylene blue than a representative photocatalyst, Degussa P25.