A facile method to prepare CdS/polymer nanocomposite fibers for the photodegradation of methylene blue under sunlight

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Nanosized CdS/polymer composite fiber mats were fabricated via a facile electrospinning processing, and the as-prepared composite fiber mats showed excellent photodegradation ability to methylene blue (MB). Polymers bearing N and S atoms with affinity to Cd<jats:sup>2+</jats:sup> ions were first synthesized and then used to prepare CdS/polymer composite fibers. In this work, coaxial electrospinning was employed to achieve the preparation of the desired composite fibers using special polymers as core and cadmium acetate [Cd(CH<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>COO)<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>] as shell. Then, fiber mats were immersed in thioacetamide (TAA) solution for several minutes, and CdS/polymer composite mats were obtained eventually. The photodegradation catalytic ability was tested using MB as a model dye under sunlight. The photocatalytic efficiency of the CdS/polymer composite fiber mat was recorded and studied by UV-visible spectra, and it showed high efficiency. Nanofiber mats will find real applications in the treatment of wastewater.</jats:p>