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    Photocatalytic and antifouling properties of electrospun TiO2 polyacrylonitrile composite nanofibers under visible light

    Year: 2021

    Journal: Mater. Sci. Eng. B-Adv. Funct. Solid-State Mater., Volume 264, FEB

    Authors: Bode-Aluko, Chris Ademola; Pereao, Omoniyi; Kyaw, Htet H.; Al-Naamani, Laila; Al-Abri, Mohammed Z.; Myint, Myo Tay Zar; Rossouw, Arnoux; Fatoba, Olanrewaju; Petrik, Leslie; Dobretsov, Sergey

    Organizations: South African (NRF) - Sultan Qaboos University (SQU, Oman) [CL/SQU-SA/18/01, OMSA170413227101]

    Keywords: Photocatalysis; Antifouling; Nanofibers; Titanium (IV) oxide; Visible light

    Polyacrylonitrile and its TiO2 composites were electrospun into nanofibers in N, N'-dimethylformamide for photocatalysis and antifouling experiments. The resultants nanofibers were characterized using field emission scanning microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle analyses. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the formation of polyacrylonitrile-TiO2 composite nanofibers with their diameter ranging from 10 to 340 nm. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicate the formation of O-Ti-C bonds on polyacrylonitrile-TiO2 matrix. polyacrylonitrile-TiO2 and polyacrylonitrile nanofiber surfaces showed superhydrophobicity with water contact angle of 155 +/- 1 and 154 +/- 1, respectively at 120 s. The photocatalytic properties of polyacrylonitrile nanofibers and polyacrylonitrile-TiO2 nanofibers were investigated under a simulated visible light source of 1000 W/m(2) using methylene blue. About 90% of methylene blue was degraded within 3 h of exposure using polyacrylonitrile-TiO2 nanofibers while 55% methylene blue degradation was achieved for polyacrylonitrile nanofibers. Photoluminescence experiment conducted on both materials showed that polyacrylonitrile-TiO2 could produce OH radicals 10-fold compared to polyacrylonitrile nanofibers. Antimicrobial tests were conducted using E. coli and Bacillus sp. The results showed that only polyacrylonitrile-TiO2 under visible light hindered the growth of these bacteria with a greater effect on the Gram-positive bacterium, Bacillus sp. The photo-degradation and microbial growth inhibition properties of polyacrylonitrile-TiO2 showed that the material could be used as an antifouling material under visible light.
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