Synthesis and characterization of zinc titanate fibers by sol-electrospinning method

A facile and economic electrospinning approach has been developed for the synthesis of zinc titanate-rutile composite fibers as a nanofibrous mat at the first time. The composite fibers with different morphologies were obtained by calcination of the PVP/Ti(OC₄H₉)₄–Zn(CH₃COO)₂ fibers. The reaction mechanism was characterized by thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Fourier transform infraction spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectra techniques. According to the thermal analysis, the phase of ZnTiO₃ occurred at 450 °C and it decomposed at 885 °C. FE-SEM micrographs indicated that the as-spun fibers were round and had a rather uniform and smooth surface with the diameters in the range of 300–800 nm over its length. Its morphology is greatly affected by the calcination temperatures.