Fabrication and characterization of eco-friendly CaO-modified cellulose acetate fibers via electrospinning for potential biomedical applications

New eco-friendly fiber composites were developed by electrospinning cellulose acetate (CA) combined with calcium oxide (CaO) derived from thermally treated waste eggshells. CA solutions were prepared at varying concentrations to optimize the ideal concentration for producing smooth, continuous, and beads-free fibers. Various amounts of CaO were then added to assess its impact on fiber structure, crystallinity, and swelling characteristics. FTIR examinations demonstrated that CaO was effectively integrated without altering the CA structure, however XRD investigations revealed reduction in crystallinity with increasing CaO content. The swelling capacity remarkedly increased to 710% at 4% CaO, attributed to enhanced porosity and hydrophilicity, before showing a slight decline at higher concentrations due to particle aggregation. These results highlight a sustainable method for producing functional CA/CaO composites with tailored properties for promising applications in biomedical and environmental fields. Our further aim is to study the biocompatibility, cytotoxicity and the photocatalytic activity of the prepared composites. Waste eggshells were calcined to obtain CaO particles, which were incorporated into cellulose acetate (CA) solutions (5–20 wt%) using an acetone–acetic acid (2:1) solvent. Electrospinning at 15 wt% CA produced smooth, bead-free fibers with 2–6 % CaO. FTIR confirmed effective CaO integration without altering CA’s structure, while XRD revealed reduced crystallinity. The swelling capacity peaked at 710 % for 4 % CaO, demonstrating tunable properties for potential biomedical and environmental applications.