Synthesis and characterization of surface modified electrospun poly (acrylonitrile-co-styrene) nanofibers for dye decolorization

• Poly (acrylonitrile-co-styrene) copolymer was synthesized.
• Poly (acrylonitrile-co-styrene) nanofiber was prepared by electrospinning.
• Nanofiber was functionalized with surface carboxylic acid groups.
• The decolorization process onto the nanofiber was relatively fast.

In the present work, poly acrylonitrile-co-styrene (poly (AN-co-ST)) copolymer was prepared using solution polymerization. The synthesized copolymer was fabricated into nanofiber using electrospinning technique with an average diameter of approximately 220 nm, were successfully synthesized. This nanofiber was functionalized with surface carboxylic acid groups. Characterization of the poly (AN-co-ST) nanofiber and its modified nanofibers were studied by SEM, FTIR, and TGA, and the chemical modification process has positive effect on the mechanical properties of the produced nanofiber as elucidated from the tensile stress–strain test. The chemically modified copolymer nanofiber (CMCN) was evaluated for decolorization of C.I. Basic violet 14 from aqueous solutions. The decolorization process onto the nanofiber was relatively fast and the equilibrium was achieved within 30 min. The influence of the different parameters affecting the dye sorption process was established. The increment on both the pH and the temperature of the dye solution enhance the dye sorption onto the prepared chemically modified nanofiber. Meanwhile, the presence of cation salts accompanying the dye ions hinders the dye sorption process onto the prepared nanofiber. The chemically modified nanofiber proved its effectiveness as adsorbent material for dye decontamination from the polluted wastewater.

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