Ag/TiO₂ hollow nano-fiber photocatalytic material was successfully synthesized by using cotton fiber as the template. Thermogravimetric analysis (TG), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Zeta potential, UV-Vis and IR techniques were employed to characterize the morphology, phase structure and the state of silver. Using the decolorizing degradation of methylene blue (MB) as the model reaction, the photocatalytic property of the material Ag/TiO₂ was investigated under different light sources. The results showed that the material not only copied the morphology of cotton fibers but also had negative charges on its surface. The sample showed much better photocatalytic property than pure TiO₂ and its activity was higher under the sunlight than under UV irradiation. For example, on the surface of Ag/TiO₂ hollow nano-fiber material, the decolorizing efficiency of MB solution was over 95% when irradiation time was 1.5 h under the sunlight while on TiO₂, the efficiency was less than 60% when the time was 2.5 h, which was lower than the result of Ag/TiO₂ when the time was 0.5 h. However, under UV irradiation, the efficiency was only 35% on the material Ag/TiO₂ when the time was 3 h. Its photocatalytic activity didn t basically decrease and the efficiency was kept above 90% when it was repeatedly used for 5 times. The material was easily removed by centrifugal separation and used repeatedly. Therefore, Ag/TiO₂ hollow nano-fiber material, synthesized by the template method, is no energy consumption, no pollution, good photocatalytic property and green environment-friendly catalytic material.

Key words: Ag/TiO₂, hollow nano-fiber material, preparation, characterization, photocatalytic property