Visible-light driven rapid bacterial inactivation on red phosphorus/titanium oxide nanofiber heterostructures

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Photocatalytic water disinfection is a key technology for water purification.
• Developing efficient visible light-driven materials for rapid bacterial inactivation remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop red phosphorus/titanium oxide (TiO2@RP) nanofibers for effective water disinfection.
• To investigate the photocatalytic antibacterial activity of TiO2@RP under visible light irradiation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of TiO2@RP nanofibers using a vacuum ampoule strategy.
• Testing photocatalytic disinfection efficacy against E. coli and S. aureus under white LED light.
• Analyzing the mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activity.

Main Results:

• Optimized TiO2@RP nanofibers achieved complete inactivation of E. coli (7-log CFU mL-1) in 25 min and S. aureus in 30 min.
• The heterostructure demonstrated enhanced light absorption and improved charge separation.
• Synergistic effects between TiO2 and RP facilitated the generation of reactive oxygen species.

Conclusions:

• TiO2@RP nanofibers are highly efficient for visible light-driven photocatalytic water disinfection.
• The enhanced performance is attributed to improved light harvesting and charge carrier dynamics.
• This approach offers a promising solution for rapid and effective bacterial inactivation in water purification.