Electrospun recycled nylon/titanium dioxide nanofiber composite for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

Recycling discarded fishing nets into high-performance nanomaterials offers a sustainable solution to plastic waste and environmental pollution. In this study, recycled nylon (r-nylon) from waste fishing nets was combined with TiO₂ nanoparticles to fabricate nanofiber composites via electrospinning. Optimized parameters included a flow rate of 0.2 mL/h, a voltage of 23 kV, and a 15 cm nozzle-to-collector distance. The nanofibers had diameters ranging from 200 to 250 nm and exhibited enhanced hydrophilicity, as indicated by contact angle values decreasing from 53.4° (pure nylon) to 39.6° (TiO₂-reinforced composite). Mechanical tests showed an increase in tensile strength from 0.169 MPa (r-nylon only) to 0.856 MPa (with 0.6 % TiO₂), highlighting the reinforcing effect of TiO₂. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated using methylene blue (MB) under UV light, achieving degradation efficiencies of 88.68 % at pH 7 and 88.25 % at pH 9, significantly higher than 67.84 % obtained using pristine TiO₂ nanoparticles. The degradation followed pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetics, depending on pH. This work highlights an innovative route to repurpose marine plastic waste into valuable nanomaterials for environmental applications, offering both performance enhancement and sustainability advantages over conventional polymer-TiO₂ systems.