SrTiO3 nanoparticles and nanofibers: synthesis and comparison of photocatalytic properties

SrTiO3 nanofibers and nanoparticles were respectively synthesized by electrospinning process and sol-gel method. The obtained SrTiO3 photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Barrett-Emmett-Teller technique, and spectrophotometer. The X-ray diffraction patterns show that SrTiO3 samples have the pure perovskite-type crystalline phase. The scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images indicate that SrTiO3 nanofibers and nanoparticles were respectively obtained by electrospinning process and sol-gel method. SrTiO3 nanofibers show the higher specific surface area and photocurrent than those of SrTiO3 nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activities of SrTiO3 nanofibers and nanoparticles were evaluated by photocatalysis degradation of Rhodamine B and Methyl orange. The SrTiO3 nanofibers exhibit higher photocatalytic activity than SrTiO3 nanoparticles, which is induced by the smaller crystallite size and hierarchical structure of SrTiO3 nanofibers.