Electrospinning SnO2 fibers with 3D interconnected structure for efficient soot catalytic combustion

Abstract In this paper, SnO 2 fibers with three-dimensional (3D) interconnected structure were successfully obtained by a simple electrospinning technique with both high quality and reproducibility. The microstructure, physicochemical properties were characterized (FT-IR, XRD, SEM, HR-TEM, TG-DSC, N 2 -BET, XPS, H 2 -TPR, O 2 -TPD) extensively. The catalytic activity was tested in temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO) of model soot. The influence of the heat-treated temperature on the catalysts physicochemical properties and reactivity was evaluated. The fibers were fluffy and self-supporting after heat-treated which could provide a beneficial environment favored by soot catalytic combustion. SnO 2 fibers exhibited good thermal stability in phase structures and morphologies at least 900 °C. The SnF-500 exhibited the highest catalytic activity with T 10 , T 50 and T 90 at 410 °C, 450 °C and 474 °C. With the increase in the sintering temperature, the crystallinity of SnO 2 fiber increases and the Sn–O-Sn bond strengthens, resulting in a decrease in the catalytic activity of the catalyst as the BET surface area and surface oxygen decrease. Our studies provide insights into SnO 2 fibers for soot catalytic. Graphic abstract