Fabrication of flexible PAN/Bi2WO6/BiOI heterojunction nanofiber and the property of photocatalytic degradation

Abstract

This paper presents a novel flexible PAN/Bi₂WO₆/BiOI heterojunction nanofiber, fabricated through electrospinning, as an advanced photocatalyst for the degradation of pollutants. The PAN nanofibers serve a stable and reusable support for the Bi₂WO₆/BiOI heterojunctions, which were constructed using a combination of solvothermal and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) methods. The separation efficiency of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs and photocatalytic degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B under visible light were significantly enhanced by the heterojunction structure. Comprehensive characterizations confirmed the successful formation of the heterostructure and its superior electron transfer capabilities. The study identified superoxide radicals (·O₂^-) and photogenerated holes (h⁺) as key contributors to the photocatalytic process. The optimized nanofiber exhibited a degradation rate constant of 6.529 × 10^-2min⁻¹, significantly outperforming its individual components, and maintained high activity over multiple reuse cycles. This research provides a promising approach for designing high-efficiency, recyclable photocatalytic materials with potential applications in environmental remediation.