Eco-friendly PAN/collagen photocatalytic nanofibers reinforced with femtosecond laser–synthesized TiO₂@ag nanoparticles for Plasmon-enhanced wastewater treatment

Silver (Ag) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanostructures were synthesized by femtosecond laser ablation (800 nm, 1 kHz) and incorporated into a polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/collagen blend via electrospinning to obtain functional nanofibrous membranes. The study comprised three stages: nanoparticle synthesis, nanofiber fabrication and characterization, and evaluation of photocatalytic performance. UV–Vis spectroscopy of TiO₂@Ag nanoparticles showed a gradual decrease in absorbance from the ultraviolet to infrared region and an estimated band gap of ∼2.5 eV. FTIR analysis (500–3000 cm$^{−1}$) confirmed successful incorporation of TiO₂@Ag into the PAN/collagen matrix, while SEM revealed uniform nanofibers with an average diameter of ∼100 nm. Photocatalytic activity was assessed by the degradation of methylene blue under light irradiation. The PAN/collagen/TiO₂/Ag nanofibers exhibited markedly improved photodegradation efficiency, highlighting the role of nanofiber architecture and plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis in developing advanced materials for wastewater treatment.