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In the past few years, biomass carbon materials have gained wide attention from many scholars as TiO2 carrier materials to improve photocatalytic activity due to their renewable, green, low-cost, and high-efficiency advantages. In this study, TiO2/carbonized waste rabbit fibers (TiO2/CRFs) nanocomposites with the hierarchical microporous/mesoporous structure were fabricated by a combination of carbonization, immersion, and calcination methods using tetrabutyl titanate as the titanium source and waste rabbit hair as the carbon source. The properties and catalytic activity of TiO2/CRFs composite were evaluated based on several characterization techniques and methylene blue (MB) photodegradation studies. The results showed that the degradation of MB by TiO2/CRFs could reach 98.1% after 80 min of solar irradiation. Moreover, TiO2/CRFs still maintained high photocatalytic activity after five cycles of degradation tests, exhibiting good stability and reusability. The improved photocatalytic performance of TiO2/CRFs materials is attributed to the natural carbon and nitrogen element doping of TiO2/CRFs and its morphology, which reduces the compounding of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and narrows the TiO2 band gap, while the multiple reflections of visible light in the pore channels enhance the visible light absorption of the materials. Furthermore, the large specific surface area provides abundant reaction sites for adsorbed reactants. This paper provides the experimental basis for the application of waste rabbit biomass carbon composites in photocatalytic degradation field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel MOFs-anchored-nanofiber framework (UiO-66-NH 2 @NFs) is designed via electrospinning. To hybridize with Nafion matrix, UiO-66-NH 2 @NFs/Nafion membranes with acid-base pairs are fabricated. In the framework, sulfonated poly(ether sulfone) (SPES) nanofibers with effective –SO 3 H groups serve as bonding platforms and UiO-66-NH 2 with –NH 2 groups act as co-reinforcement units tethering in nanofibers. As systematically studied and compared in membrane performance, the homogeneous UiO-66-NH 2 @NFs/Nafion membrane with a moderate UiO-66-NH 2 filler amount of 8 wt% present excellent performance on elevating proton conductivity of 0.27 S cm−1 (80 °C, 100% RH) and inhibiting methanol permeability of 7.54 × 10−7 cm2 s−1, respectively. The above superiorities can be attributed to the unique MOFs-anchored-nanofiber framework with balanced acid-base pairs. The interconnected UiO-66-NH 2 @NFs framework with hydrophilic SPES nanofibers and UiO-66-NH 2 offer consecutive proton transfer channels, making protons easily transfer via the hydration channels. Moreover, –NH 2 groups in UiO-66-NH 2 and –SO 3 H groups in matrix interact via acid-base pairs, which synergistically conducts protons via proton hopping channels in the membranes. Meanwhile, the good compatibility of UiO-66-NH 2 @NFs with Nafion matrix resulting from the tight electrostatically interactions between –NH 2 and –SO 3 H groups endow the hybrid membranes with suppressed methanol permeation and strengthened mechanical properties. Image 1 • UiO-66-NH 2 @NFs with acid-base pairs were built as proton-conducting highways. • Hybrid PEMs were prepared by incorporating UiO-66-NH 2 @NFs into Nafion matrix. • Acid-base interaction and consecutive proton conducting channels were well formed. • The hybrid PEMs exhibited high proton conductivity of 0.270 S cm−1 at 80 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]