Constructing the Spindle-Knot in the Electrospun Membrane through the Dual Action of PLA/PHA Phase Separation along with Ag@HKUST-1 to Improve the Degradation Rate and Filtration Efficiency of the Prepared Membrane

HKUST-1 was synthesized from the self-assembly of a copper ion and 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate, and silver nanoparticles were loaded on HKUST-1 to prepare Ag@HKUST-1. Ag@HKUST-1 was introduced to the blend of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) to manufacture Ag@HKUST-1/PLA/PHA fiber membranes. Due to the thermodynamic incompatibility of PLA and PHA, the PLA/PHA phase separation occurring during solvent evaporation along with the presence of Ag@HKUST-1 led to the formation of spindle-knot reticulated structure. The fiber membranes with 5 wt % Ag@HKUST-1 showed 99.4 and 99.9% antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and the filtration efficiencies reached 100% for PM2.5 and PM10 at 20 min. The prepared fiber membranes demonstrated environmental friendliness, which exhibited rapid degradation performance in water and soil, owing to the spindle-knot reticulated structure. Thus, the novel biodegradable fibrous membrane showed significant potential for application in the fields of personal protection and environmental conservation.