Crystalline titanium-dioxide nanofinish impregnated on electrospun stereocomplex poly (lactic acid) as non-woven nanotextile with superhydrophilic, anti-shrinkage, dark dyeing and waste dye removal ability for sustainable application

Abstract

An environmentally friendly non-woven nanotextile has been prepared using enantiomeric pairs of poly (lactic acid) PLA by electrospinning technique. Solution blending of synthesized high molecular weight (⁓105 Da) poly (L-lactic acid) PLLA and poly (D-lactic acid), PDLA for prolonged time stirring produce solely stereocrystallites (sc). The high crosslinking effect of sc-PLA has played an important role, with multifunctional behaviour on the addition of anatase-TiO2 (a-TiO2) in three different ways (Case-I-III). The high crystallinity of a-TiO2 (~7.14 nm), has been confirmed from XRD and TEM studies as 98 %. The nanofinish as studied in (Case -III) by dipping and drying has decreased the water contact angle for the electrospun sc-PLA nanotextile from highly hydrophobic (132°) to superhydrophilicity after 8 min. An easy demonstration of high temperature treated nanofabric (at 100 °C) has proven to obtain an anti-shrinkage sc-PLA nanofabric. Even, the presence of a-TiO2 has improved the colour strength ability of sc-PLA as a dark dyed nanofabric. The loading of as-synthesized a-TiO2 nanoparticle has enhanced adsorbent dosages for 5TdipscPLA up to 1.44 mg/g of MB dosage, at contact time (8 h), and 68 % methylene blue (MB) removal efficiency under UV irradiation. Thereby, this a-TiO2 impregnated sc-PLA nanofabric tends to dye removal.