Fabrication of Composite-Based Electrospun Nanofiber Adsorbent and Application in Dye Removal

The improvement of processes for maintaining our ecosystem amidst rapidly developing and sustaining pollution is the ever-growing demand. This current research work is aimed at developing useful nanomaterials, such as silica nanoparticles and graphene oxide nanoparticles from solid agro-waste, coconut husk. The nanoparticles obtained were then blended with two other polymers, namely polyhydroxyalkanotes, a microbial biopolymer and polyvinylpyrrolidone, a synthetic biodegradable polymer to form nanocomposites, which are used as the base for nanofiber fabrication through electrospinning. The nanocomposites were characterized through Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer and the nanofibers under scanning electron microscope. The nanofibers were subjected to analyze the ability to function as adsorbents. The composite nanofibers developed were able to remove 62% of methylene blue dye in the test solution in a span of 12 hours with additional benefits of easy removal of used adsorbents and adsorbates.