Preparation and Photodegradation Properties of Carbon-Nanofiber-Based Catalysts.

In this study, an iron oxide/carbon nanofibers (FeO/CNFs) composite was prepared by a combination of electrospinning and hydrothermal methods. The characterization of FeO/CNFs was achieved via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It is shown that when the hydrothermal reaction time was 180 °C and the reaction time was 1 h, the FeO nanoparticle size was about 90 nm with uniform distribution. The photodegradation performance applied to decolorize methyl orange (MO) was investigated by forming a heterogeneous Fenton catalytic system with hydrogen peroxide. The reaction conditions for the degradation of MO were optimized with the decolorization rate up to more than 99% within 1 h, which can decompose the dyes in water effectively. The degradation process of MO by Fenton oxidation was analyzed by a UV-visible NIR spectrophotometer, and the reaction mechanism was speculated as well.