A ‘Continuous flow’ Photochemical Water Treatment System Based on Radially Oriented ZnO Nanowires on Flexible Poly-L-Lactide Nanofibers

• Several oxide ceramics, notably ZnO and TiO2 are known to catalyze decomposition of organic molecules in water under ultra-violet irradiation. Here we describe fabrication of highly flexible ZnO-based hierarchical nanostructure obtained by growing radially oriented ZnO nanowires on poly-L-lactide nanofibers. Utilizing the flexibility and high surface area of polymeric nanofibers as novel ‘substrate’ for growth of the photochemically active ZnO nanowires we show a proof-of-principle demonstration of a ‘continuous flow’ water treatment set-up. We have monitored photocatalytic decomposition of known organic pollutants, such as methylene blue, monocrotophos and diphenylamine under illumination with ultraviolet light using this highly flexible hierarchical nanostructure.

Nyckelord

ZnO nanorods

Electrospinning

PLLA nanofibers

Photocatalysis

Hierarchical nanostructures

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