Preparation and Photocatalytic Activities of Y3+ or Nd3+doped TiO2 Nanofibres

TiO2 nanofibres, Y3+-doped and Nd3+-doped TiO2 nanofibres were successfully fabricated by electrospinning using Ti(SO4)2, polyvinyl pyrrolidone(PVP, Mr=1300000), rare earth oxides and dimethyl formamide(DMF) as raw materials. The samples were characterized by XRD, FESEM, TEM, and TGDTA. XRD analysis indicated that RE/TiO2(RE=Y, Nd) nanofibres with pure anatase typed phase and pure rutiletyped phase were obtained by calcination of the relevant composite fibres at 550℃ and 900℃, respectively, and the lattice parameters of TiO2 were remarkably reduced by the doping rare earth ions. FESEM analysis revealed that the average diameter of the RE/TiO2(RE=Y, Nd) nanofibres was about 50nm, and their length was greater than 300 μm. Photocatalytic properties of the three nanofibres were investigated by degradation of rhodamine-B and phenol. The results showed that the degradation rate of 1.5mol%Y/TiO2 nanofibres was higher for rhodamine-B, while the degradation rate of 1.0mol%Nd/TiO2 nanofibres was higher for phenol. Therefore, the degradation activity of rare earth ions-doped TiO2 nanofibres changed with the different doping rare earth ions and degradation compounds.