Synthesis of one-dimensional TiO2/V2O5 branched heterostructures and their visible light photocatalytic activity towards Rhodamine B

We present the synthesis and visible-light-induced catalytic activity of one-dimensional (1D) TiO2/V2O5 branched heterostructures. The 1D TiO2/V2O5 heterostructures were prepared by RF reactive magnetron sputtering of V2O5 onto electrospun TiO2 nanofibers. Then, the samples were annealed at 300 °C for 2 h in air ambient to form the 1D TiO2/V2O5 branched heterostructures. The photodecomposition rate of Rhodamine B (RhB) by the 1D TiO2/V2O5 branched heterostructures under visible light was much faster than that of pure TiO2 nanofibers, revealing that the visible-light-induced catalytic activity of the 1D TiO2/V2O5 branched heterostructures was greatly improved. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of the 1D TiO2/V2O5 branched heterostructures can be ascribed to the coupling with a small bandgap semiconductor material V2O5, where the absorption range is extended, the photogenerated electrons and holes are highly separated and the surface charge carrier transfer rate is promoted.