Multi-Functional Magnetic Photoluminescent Photocatalytic Polystyrene-Based Micro- and Nano-Fibers Obtained by Electrospinning

This work reports on the implementation of electrospinning (ES) as a facile route to encapsulate nano-engineered materials in a polystyrene (PS) matrix. We applied ES to co-encapsulate two kinds of nanoparticles, i.e., upconversion nanophosphors (UCNPs) and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), in polystyrene (PS)-based micro- and nano-fibers (PSFs). This approach made it possible to integrate near-infrared (NIR) light-sensitive 500-nm β-NaYF4:Yb, Er UCNPs with 10-nm γ-Fe2O3 SPIONs in PS fibers. During the ES process, PSFs were additionally loaded with a well-established singlet oxygen (1∆g) photosensitizer, rose bengal (RB). The thus obtained PSFs revealed the promising features of prospective multi-functional magnetic photoluminescent photocatalytic nano-constructs.