Synergistic effect of N-decorated and Mn2+ doped ZnO nanofibers with enhanced photocatalytic activity

• DOI: 10.1038/srep32711
• Publication Date: 2016-09-07T10:03:46Z
• Authors: Yuting Wang; Jing Cheng; Suye Yu; Enric Juan Alcocer; Muhammad Shahid; Ziyuan Wang; Wei Pan
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; 7. Clean energy; Article

Abstract Here we report a high efficiency photocatalyst, i.e., Mn 2+ -doped and N-decorated ZnO nanofibers (NFs) enriched with vacancy defects, fabricated via electrospinning subsequent controlled annealing process. This nanocatalyst exhibits excellent visible-light photocatalytic activity an apparent quantum up to 12.77%, which is 50 times higher than that of pure ZnO. It also demonstrates good stability durability in repeated degradation experiments. A comprehensive structural analysis shows density oxygen vacancies nitrogen are introduced into the surface. Hence, significant enhanced visible properties for Mn-ZnO NFs due synergetic effects both doping N decorated. Further investigations exhibit -doping facilitates formation surface defects when 2 atmosphere. induce huge band gap decrease thus significantly enhance absorption range visible-light. Overall, this paper provides new approach fabricate nanocatalysts using under anoxic ambient.