Preparation of3DcrimpedZnO/PANhybrid nanofiber mats with photocatalytic activity and antibacterial properties by blow-spinning

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures have received widespread attention due to their unique structure and broad application possibilities, but high preparation costs and agglomeration limit their usage. In this article, low-cost and environmentally friendly cellulose and ZnCl(2)are used to synthesize ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). Subsequently, multifunctional ZnO/polyacrylonitrile hybrid nanofiber mats (ZnO/PAN@NFMs) with mechanical stability suitable for large-scale application are prepared via solution blow-spinning. The synthesized ZnO/PAN@NFMs exhibit higher photodegradation of organic dyes than earlier reported semiconductors and good recycling performance with an organic dye degradation above 94%-98% after five cycles, which is ascribed to fixation of the ZnO NPs in the nanofibers. In addition, the inhibition rate forEscherichia coliandStaphylococcus aureusis above 99.9% and the bacteriostatic rate againstE. coliremains as high as 99% after 10 cycles. From these properties, the synthesized composite ZnO/PAN@NFMs are promising for wastewater cleaning and antibacterial fabrics.

Automated summary

The study successfully synthesized zinc oxide/polyacrylonitrile hybrid nanofiber mats using environmentally friendly and low-cost methods, showing promising applications in organic dye photodegradation and bacterial inhibition. The material exhibited high degradation efficiency for organic dyes and strong bacteriostatic properties even after multiple cycles, making it a potential candidate for wastewater treatment and antibacterial textiles.