A flexible and easily recyclable polyacrylonitrile/Cd0.8Zn0.2S/SnO2 nanofibrous mat for visible-light driven photodegradation of RhB

Constructing photocatalyst with high visible light utilization efficiency and easy recyclability is still challenging in view of practical applications. Herein, we constructed a novel Cd0.8Zn0.2S/SnO2 heterojunction on flexible PAN nanofiber substrates via a simple solvothermal route as a flexible and easily recycled photocatalyst. This newly developed PAN/Cd0.8Zn0.2S/SnO2 nanofibrous mat had excellent photocatalytic activity towards Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light driving, and RhB could be degraded 98 % after 120 min. The efficient photocarrier separation endowed by Cd0.8Zn0.2S/SnO2 heterojunction plays a significant role in improving photocatalytic property. Meanwhile, the obtained PAN/Cd0.8Zn0.2S/SnO2 nanofibrous mat had good structural stability and cycling performance. More importantly, relative to the traditional suspended nanoparticles, the film-like PAN/Cd0.8Zn0.2S/SnO2 exhibit outstanding flexibility and self-supporting characters, allowing them to be effortlessly separated and removed from service environment. This work provides an excellent strategy for designing flexible and recyclable nanofiber based photocatalysts with high photocatalytic activity, which is expected to have broad application prospects in the field of water treatment.