Polyacrylonitrile gold nanoparticle composite electrospun fibers prepared by in situ photoreduction

► in situ photoreduction of Au+3 while electrospinning a polyacrylonitrile solution. ► Gold nanoparticles were formed in situ under UV light without heat or chemical reducing agents. ► TEM showed spherical and uniformly dispersed nanoparticles inside the nanofibers.