Scalable and Systematical Conversions of Domestic Wastes to Core–Sheath Nanofibers for Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics

Abstract Batch nanofabrication of complex nanostructures remains a critical challenge, restricting their translation from laboratory design to industrial application. To address this, we report a conceptual and methodological advance by developing a brand-new “needle-confined region free-surface” triaxial electrospinning process. In a unique waste-to-resource concept, discarded polyethylene terephthalate (PET) beverage bottles were innovatively converted into the multifluid spinneret. This scalable device was utilized to batch-fabricate surface-porous core–sheath nanofibers using waste polystyrene (PS) foam as the primary matrix. These nanofibers comprised a porous PS/TiO2 sheath to maximize catalytic exposure, while the polyacrylonitrile (PAN) core endowed the nanofibers with robust mechanical properties. As a proof of concept for this manufacturing approach, the resultant membranes were applied to antibiotic wastewater treatment, exhibiting excellent hydrophilicity, enhanced mechanical properties, and a high specific surface area with pronounced surface porosity. In a simulated tetracycline wastewater solution (pH 8), their photocatalytic degradation efficiency reached 70.05% within 2 h and was maintained at 66.74% after four reuse cycles. Beyond simply engineering a specific functional membrane, this integration of needle-based and free-surface electrospinning establishes a straightforward platform for the one-step scalable batch production of various multichamber nanostructures, providing robust support for advanced nanomaterials fabrication.