Polyacrylonitrile/Silver Nanoparticles Composite for Catalytic Dye Reduction and Real-Time Monitoring

This study presents a one-step electrospinning method to fabricate polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers embedded with green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for efficient catalytic dye reduction and real-time monitoring. Utilizing avocado seed extract for AgNP synthesis, the resulting composite nanofibers exhibit uniform nanoparticle dispersion and enhanced surface area, significantly improving adsorption and catalytic properties. The membranes demonstrated outstanding catalytic activity, achieving over 95% degradation of methyl orange within 45 min when paired with sodium borohydride, and maintained structural integrity and performance over ten reuse cycles. The integration of a novel 3D-printed support enabled scalability, allowing a 60-fold increase in treatment volume without compromising efficiency. Additionally, the composite’s electrical conductivity changes enabled the real-time monitoring of the dye reduction process, highlighting its dual functionality as both catalyst and sensor. These results encourage the potential of PAN/AgNPs supported on a 3D-printed structure nanofiber membranes for scalable, sustainable wastewater treatment and in situ reaction monitoring.