Plastic bottles are generally recycled by remolding them into numerous products. In this study, waste from plastic bottles was used to fabricate recycled polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET) nanofibers via the electrospinning technique, and high-performance conductive polyethylene terephthalate nanofibers (r-PET nanofibers) were prepared followed by copper deposition using the electroless deposition (ELD) method. Firstly, the electrospun r-PET nanofibers were chemically modified with silane molecules and polymerized with 2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl trimethylammonium chloride (METAC) solution. Finally, the copper deposition was achieved on the surface of chemically modified r-PET nanofibers by simple chemical/ion attraction. The water contact angle of r-PET nanofibers, chemically modified r-PET nanofibers, and copper deposited nanofibers were 140°, 80°, and 138°, respectively. The r-PET nanofibers retained their fibrous morphology after copper deposition, and EDX results confirmed the presence of copper on the surface of r-PET nanofibers. XPS was performed to analyze chemical changes before and after copper deposition on r-PET nanofibers. The successful deposition of copper one r-PET nanofibers showed an excellent electrical resistance of 0.1 ohms/cm and good mechanical strength according to ASTM D-638.

Fiber based antibacterial materials have gained an enormous attraction for the researchers in these days. In this study, a novel Sericin Encapsulated Silver Nanoclusters (sericin-AgNCs) were synthesized through single pot and green synthesis route. Subsequently these sericin-AgNCs were incorporated into ultrafine electrospun cellulose acetate (CA) fibers for assessing the antibacterial performance. The physicochemical properties of sericin-AgNCs/CA composite fibers were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and wide X-ray diffraction (XRD). The antibacterial properties of sericin-AgNCs/CA composite fibers against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were systematically evaluated. The results showed that sericin-AgNCs incorporated in ultrafine CA fibers have played a vital role for antibacterial activity. An amount of 0.17 mg/mL sericin-AgNCs to CA fibers showed more than 90% results and elevated upto >99.9% with 1.7 mg/mL of sericin-AgNCs against E. coli. The study indicated that sericin-AgNCs/CA composite confirms an enhanced antibacterial efficiency, which could be used as a promising antibacterial product.

Wearable electronics, particularly strain sensors, are essential for applications in health monitoring and human-machine interfaces. However, challenges remain in achieving sensors that balance high sensitivity, mechanical flexibility, and durability under dynamic deformations and environmental stressors like washing and humidity. Existing materials often suffer from limitations in conductivity, mechanical flexibility, and long-term stability. This study introduces a novel hybrid composite sensor composed of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and nickel (Ni) coatings on spandex-cotton (CoSP) yarn, encapsulated in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The synergistic combination of rGO and Ni significantly enhances the sensor’s mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, and strain sensitivity. The PDMS coating further ensures long-term durability, protecting the conductive network from oxidation and degradation. The rGO–Ni–CoSP/PDMS composite exhibits a tensile strength of 534 MPa and an elongation at break of 595%. The sensor shows excellent piezoresistive behavior with a gauge factor of -6.11 at 100% strain and maintains over 90% of its initial conductivity after 50 wash cycles. Additionally, the sensor demonstrates stable, repeatable resistance changes after 15,000 stretching cycles, with negligible hysteresis, confirming its high reliability and durability. This research presents a significant advancement in wearable strain sensors, offering a robust, sensitive, and environmentally stable solution. The sensor’s ability to monitor physiological activities such as respiration, pulse, and muscle movements highlights its potential for applications in healthcare, wearable robotics, and personalized health monitoring. Additionally, a mathematical model was established and experimentally validated, providing predictive insight into the strain-dependent resistance behavior of the hybrid yarn sensor.

1. Among the numerous dye pollutants that contaminate water, primarily from the textile dyeing and printing industry, anionic organic dyes are particularly harmful. Their toxicity to a wide range o...