Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Properties of Electrospun TiO2–SiO2–Al2O3–ZrO2–CaO–CeO2 Ceramic Membranes

In this study, TiO2-based ceramic nanofiber membranes in the system of TiO2–SiO2–Al2O3–ZrO2–CaO–CeO2 were synthesized by combining sol–gel and electrospinning processes. In order to investigate the thermal treatment temperature effect, the obtained nanofiber membranes were calcined at different temperatures ranging from 550 to 850 °C. Different characterization methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) were conducted on the obtained membranes to investigate the structural and morphological properties of the nanofibers. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area of the nanofiber membranes was very high (46.6–149.2 m2/g) and decreased with increasing calcination temperature as expected. Photocatalytic activity investigations were determined using methylene blue (MB) as a model dye under UV and sunlight irradiation. High degradation performances were achieved with the calcination temperatures of 650 and 750 °C because of the high specific surface area and the anatase structure of the nanofiber membranes. Moreover, the ceramic membranes showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli as a Gram-negative bacterium and Staphylococcus aureus as a Gram-positive bacterium. The superior properties of the novel TiO2-based multi-oxide nanofiber membranes proved as a promising candidate for various industries, especially the removal of textile dyes from wastewater.