Cu-Fe and Cu-Ni metal blend-infused polystyrene-based electrospun nanofibers for dye degradation

Abstract

The mitigation of hazardous effects of chemical dyes on the environment and living organisms, greatly demands an efficient and effective management of dye-laden wastewater. One such solution gaining prominence is the utilization of metal-infused nanofibers-based dye removal techniques, which are simple, effective, and environmentally friendly. In this report, we present the fabrication of mechanically stable hydrophobic nanofibers infused with metal blends, fabricated through the utilization of electrospinning techniques. The successful fabrication of these mechanically stable hydrophobic nanofibers is evidenced through contact angle measurements, tensile tests, and FESEM analysis. While polystyrene-based nanofibrous mats were anticipated to be effective, nanofibrous mats infused with Cu-Fe and Cu-Ni metal blends exhibit exceptional efficacy in degrading dyes. The size and morphology of nanofibers depend on polymer concentration, with the average diameter increasing from 13 to 20%. At a 20% polystyrene concentration, only nanometer-scale fibers of polystyrene polymers were fabricated, while both Cu-Fe and Cu-Ni metal blend-infused fibers were synthesized in micrometers. Fibers infused with Cu-Fe and Cu-Ni metal blend at a 17% polymer concentration displayed nano-scale diameters, confirmed by FESEM characterizations. The heat-based technique is identified as an accessible and cost-effective approach for industries reliant on color-based processes.