Abstract:

To achieve efficient utilization of the full solar spectrum and enhance the photocatalytic performance of cobalt tungstate (CoWO₄), one-dimensional CoWO₄ nanomaterials doped with rare-earth (RE) elements (Ce³⁺, Eu³⁺, Yb³⁺, and La³⁺) were synthesized using electrospinning technology. The structural, morphological, photocatalytic, and photothermal sterilization properties of the synthesized nanomaterials were systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that all samples retained the monazite monoclinic structure of wolframite, with RE doping inducing lattice distortion. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy results demonstrated that doping increased the surface roughness of the nanotubes and generated a porous structure, thereby providing more active sites for reactions. Photocatalytic performance tests showed that 7% Ce-CoWO₄ achieved a degradation rate of 90.54% for ciprofloxacin under visible light within 140 min and 81.84% under near-infrared (NIR) light within 7 h. Electrochemical tests indicated that RE doping effectively reduced charge-transfer resistance and enhanced the photocurrent response. In terms of photothermal performance, 5% Yb-CoWO₄ increased the temperature of the liquid system to 65℃ within 360 s under NIR irradiation, demonstrating excellent photothermal conversion capability. Antimicrobial experiments confirmed that the re-doped samples exhibited significant photothermal sterilization effects against Escherichia coli under NIR irradiation. This study provides new insights into the development of efficient, multifunctional photocatalytic materials with full-spectrum response capabilities.

Key words: full solar spectrum, CoWO₄, photocatalytic performance, electrospinning, rare-earth-doped, photothermal antibacterial, lattice distortion