Electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers with integrated internal/external Ag-ZnO particles for photocatalytic and antibacterial applications

Silver-sensitized zinc oxide particles were incorporated into polyacrylonitrile nanofibers (Ag-ZnO/PAN NFs) using electrospinning followed by a hydrothermal technique. The resulting Ag-ZnO/PAN NFs were characterized using various methods. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the successful assembly of Ag-ZnO particles within the PAN nanofibers. The as-prepared nanofiber membrane was utilized as a photocatalyst to degrade methylene blue (MB) in an aqueous solution. The photocatalytic activity was significantly enhanced after Ag modification of ZnO particles. After 90 min of exposure to UV-light, the Ag-ZnO/PAN NFs catalyst achieved approximately 97% degradation of MB and retained this efficiency over three consecutive photocatalytic cycles. In contrast, the sample without Ag NPs demonstrated about 72% degradation in the same time frame. The Ag-ZnO/PAN NFs also exhibited good bactericidal properties against Escherichia coli ( E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus) bacteria. Because the Ag-ZnO particles were uniformly dispersed both inside and outside the nanofibers, this approach helps to mitigate secondary pollution and addresses the challenges associated with recycling powdered catalysts. Given these features, the Ag-ZnO/PAN NFs membrane stands out as a promising candidate for water purification applications.