SnO2 nanofibers were fabricated by calcination of the electrospun PVP/SnCl4 composite nanofibers. For the first time, SnS nanofibers and SnSe nanofibers were successfully synthesized by double-crucible sulfurization and selenidation methods via inheriting the morphology of SnO2 nanofibers used as precursors, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows SnS nanofibers and SnSe nanofibers are respectively pure orthorhombic phase with space group of Pbnm and Cmcm. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation indicates that the diameters of SnS nanofibers and SnSe nanofibers are respectively 140.54±12.80 nm and 96.52±14.17 nm under the 95 % confidence level. The photocatalytic activities of samples were studied by using rhodamine B (Rh B) as degradation agent. When SnS or SnSe nanofibers are employed as the photocatalysts, the respective degradation rates of Rh B solution under the ultraviolet light irradiation after 200 min irradiation are 92.55 % and 92.86 %. The photocatalytic mechanism and formation process of SnS and SnSe nanofibers are also provided. More importantly, this preparation technique is of universal significance to prepare other metal chalcogenides nanofibers.

In order to develop new-typed multifunctional composite nanofibers, PANI/Fe3O4/PVP flexible bifunctional composite nanofibers with simultaneous electrical conduction and magnetism have been successfully fabricated via a facile electrospinning technology. Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) is used as a matrix to construct composite nanofibers containing different amounts of polyaniline (PANI) and Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs). The bifunctional composite nanofibers simultaneously possess excellent electrical conductivity and magnetic properties. The electrical conductivity reaches up to the order of 10-3 S · cm-1. The electrical conductivity and saturation magnetization of the composite nanofibers can be respectively tuned by adding various amounts of PANI and Fe3O4 NPs. The obtained electricity-magnetism bifunctional composite nanofibers are expected to possess many potential applications in areas such as electromagnetic interference shielding, special coating, microwave absorption, molecular electronics and future nanomechanics. More importantly, the design concept and construct technique are of universal significance to fabricate other bifunctional one-dimensional nanostructures.

Novel structures of Y3Al5O12: Eu3+ (denoted as YAG: Eu3+ for short) nanobelts were fabricated by calcination of the electrospun PVP/[Y(NO3)3+Eu(NO3)3+Al(NO3)3] composite nanobelts. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that YAG: Eu3+ nanobelts were cubic in structure with space group Ia3d. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis manifested that pure YAG: Eu3+ nanobelts were formed at 900 °C. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis indicated that the YAG: Eu3+ nanobelts have coarse surface. The width and thickness of YAG: Eu3+ nanobelts were ca. 3.25 µm and ca. 220 nm, respectively. Fluorescence spectra analysis revealed that YAG: Eu3+ nanobelts emitted the main strong emission centering at 592 nm under the ultraviolet excitation of 235 nm, which was attributed to 5D0→7F1 of Eu3+, and the optimum doping molar concentration of Eu3+ ions was 5%. CIE analysis demonstrated that the emitting colors of YAG: Eu3+ nanobelts could be tuned by adjusting doping concentration of Eu3+. The possible formation mechanism of YAG: Eu3+ nanobelts was also proposed.