Nanofibrous ceramic composite applied in photocatalysis of dyes: a brief review

Abstract Nanofibers are an efficient way to enhance the catalytic activity of ceramic materials due to their large surface area, small crystallite size, and greater reactivity compared to bulk materials. In addition, the recombination of the e-/h+ pair is low in the composite nanofibers, increasing the catalytic efficiency. Interestingly, the addition of oxides and metal doping along nanofibers improves semiconductor properties, which makes their photocatalytic action and activation under visible light even stronger. This is especially true in the search for efficient photocatalytic systems that can degrade dyes in water using the principle of heterogeneous photocatalysis. Researchers have extensively studied nanofibrous composites of semiconductor oxides or decorated with metal particles due to their high reactivity, ability to absorb, and potential as photocatalysts. However, despite the technological and economic importance of these materials, there is a scarcity of reviews on the state of the art in this field.