Electrospun Poly(methyl methacrylate)/TiO(2) Composites for Photocatalytic Water Treatment

Electrospinning was successfully used for the one-step fabrication of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) fibers loaded with an inorganic photocatalyst—titanium oxide (TiO(2)). By tuning the PMMA/TiO(2) ratio and the electrospinning conditions (applied voltage, needle tip-to-collector distance, and flow rates), PMMA/TiO(2) composites with selected organic/inorganic ratios, tailored designs, and targeted properties were obtained. The morphology of the electrospun composites was affected by the amount of TiO(2) incorporated into the PMMA fibers. In addition, the inorganic photocatalyst had an impact on the wettability, thermal stability, and optical properties of the electrospun composites. In particular, the surface wettability of the composites was strongly influenced by UV light irradiation and from hydrophobic became superhydrophilic. Moreover, PMMA/TiO(2) composites had enhanced tensile strength in comparison with those of bare PMMA mats. The electrospun PMMA/TiO(2) composites showed excellent photocatalytic efficiency against the model organic pollutant—methylene blue—which is very promising for the future development of membranes that are highly efficacious for photocatalytic water treatment.