Swallowed Embedding of Nanopetal-Rich Microflowers in Flexible Photocatalytic and Thermoresponsive Functional Composite Fibers

Developing efficient catalysts to degrade pollutants in water is a very important way to alleviate water pollution. However, it is crucial but challenging to broaden the functions of conventional photocatalysts and improve their environmental adaptability. In this paper, Bi(Er³⁺/Yb³⁺)OBr/polyacrylonitrile (BOB-EY/PAN) composite fibers with a swallowed-embedded structure assembled with nanopetal-rich microflowers were designed and fabricated, integrating photocatalytic and temperature-monitoring functions simultaneously. Their unique structure brings a large specific surface area, and the doping of rare earth ions improves the separation efficiency of electron-hole pairs, which enhances the photocatalytic efficiency and endows the fibers with a temperature-monitoring function at the same time. Under simulated sunlight irradiation, the nanofibers show a maximum degradation efficiency of 99.2% for tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) with a degradation constant of K as high as 0.078 min^-1. Based on the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR), the two thermally coupled levels of Er³⁺ in the nanofibers, ²H_11/2 and ⁴S_3/2, provide real-time temperature feedback, displaying a maximum relative sensitivity as high as 0.0215 K^-1 at 303 K. Dual-functional BOB-EY/PAN composite nanofibers show great potential for industrial wastewater disposition, providing solutions for wastewater purification in special scenarios. © 2024 American Chemical Society.