Tuning Optical Properties of Electrospun Titanium Dioxide Nanofibers by Controlling Particle Sizes

Abstract:

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanofibers with different particle sizes were fabricated using an electrospinning technique. The nanofibers were prepared from a mixture of titanium tetraisopropoxide and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP). The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to analyze the morphology and sizes of TiO₂ nanoparticles within the nanofibers. The particle sizes of TiO₂ were measured to be 17 nm, 28 nm and 35 nm for nanofibers calcined at 500 °C, 600 °C and 700 °C, respectively. Ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy analysis and the application of the KubelkaMunk function reveal the size-dependent band gap energy of TiO₂ nanofibers. The band gap energies are measured to be 2.9 eV, 2.6 eV and 2.5 eV for TiO₂ nanofibers with average particle sizes of 17 nm, 28 nm and 35 nm, respectively.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 931-932)
• Pages: 360-364
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.931-932.360
• Online since: May 2014
• Authors: Chotiros Prasansaeng, Tienthong Yuangkaew, Napat Triroj, Papot Jaroenapibal*
• Keywords: Electro-Spinning, Photocatalyst, Titanium Dioxide

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