Preparation and photocatalytic application of glass fiber ball-loaded GO/ZIF-8/TiO₂ photocatalytic material from e-waste

With the increasing accumulation of waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs), the inadequate treatment of their non-metallic components has become a critical environmental concern. In this study, novel photocatalytic materials were synthesized by incorporating ZIF-8 with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and graphene oxide (GO) to form ternary GO/ZIF-8/TiO₂ photocatalysts, which were subsequently immobilized onto glass fiber bundles (GfB) recovered from WPCBs. The structural and physicochemical properties of the composites were systematically characterized, and the results demonstrated that GfB/GO/ZIF-8/TiO₂ exhibited superior photocatalytic performance for methylene blue (MB) degradation. More than 97% of MB was removed within 2 h of UV irradiation, with reaction rates 6.1 and 1.9 times higher than those of pristine TiO₂ and ZIF-8, respectively. The enhanced activity can be ascribed to the synergistic effects of ZIF-8, GO, and TiO₂. The waste-derived glass fiber bundles serve as a macroscopic support to immobilize the catalyst and facilitate practical handing and recovery. This study provides an effective “waste-treating-waste” strategy by valorizing non-metallic WPCB fractions into efficient photocatalysts, thereby advancing dye wastewater treatment and contributing to sustainable waste management and circular economy practices.