Renewable polybutene (2,5-furan dicarboxylate)-functional nanocomposites constructed from TiO2 nanowires: Expanding the photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics

To address the issue of antibiotic contamination in water resources and the environment, we designed a novel functional nanocomposite polyester, PBF-TiO2. This composite consists of Poly(butylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PBF), derived from non-food bio-based materials, and nano-titanium dioxide (TiO2), known for its excellent UV light absorption properties, acting as a modifier. The in-situ polymerization method ensures uniform dispersion of nano-TiO2 within the PBF polyester matrix, effectively preventing secondary contamination from TiO2 shedding. Photocatalytic degradation experiments were conducted under simulated sunlight using six common antibiotic aqueous solutions. The results showed that the photocatalytic degradation performance of the nano-composite polyester was universal and could effectively degrade all 6 antibiotics. Notably, sulfamethoxazole showed the fastest degradation rate, with 80 % degradation within 60 min. Additionally, the PBF-TiO2 nanocomposites are recyclable, maintaining a degradation rate above 80 % after three reuse cycles. A comparison of the degradation performance among 10 different PBF-TiO2 nanocomposites revealed that the fastest half-life (t(1/2)) for antibiotic degradation was only 25 min. This study highlights the potential of PBF-TiO2 nanocomposites as an efficient and sustainable solution for mitigating antibiotic pollution in water.