Preparation of nanofibers with Cu/TiO₂/rice husk ash photocatalyst and their degradation of methylene blue under visible light

Using the sol–gel method and solid state dispersion, Cu/TiO₂ and Cu/TiO₂/Rice Husk Ash, are prepared. Moreover, Cu/TiO₂/Rice Husk Ash are attached to nylon nanofibers by electrospinning to form nanofibers with Cu/TiO₂/Rice Husk Ash photocatalyst. The interplanar spacing and the grain size of Cu/TiO₂ based on X-ray diffractometer analysis are 0.3496 nm and 8.4005 nm, respectively. In the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, the characteristic peaks are observed at 463.5 eV and 457.6 eV, labeled Ti⁴⁺2p_3/2 and Ti⁴⁺2p_1/2, respectively, and there are characteristic peaks at 931.3 eV and 951.2 eV, which are labeled Cu²⁺ 2p_3/2 and Cu²⁺ 2p_1/2 respectively. The Cu/TiO₂, Cu/TiO₂/Rice Husk Ash with a weight ratio of 9:1 (Cu/TiO₂: Rice Husk Ash), and nanofibers with Cu/TiO₂/Rice Husk Ash photocatalyst have the MB removal efficiencies of 88.66%, 81.71%, and 99.76%, respectively under dark environment for 30 min and followed by visible light for 150 min. Experimental results show that nanofibers with Cu/TiO₂/Rice Husk Ash photocatalyst have a superior removal rate of methylene blue.