Photocatalytic Fibers for Environmental Purification: Challenges and Opportunities in the Post-Pandemic Era

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the paramount importance of maintaining clean and safe environments. Strengthening environmental purification measures is pivotal for better preparedness and resilience against future health crises. Photocatalytic fibers, due to their versatility and adaptability to various application scenarios, play a pivotal role in the field of environmental purification. In this perspective, light is shed on the pivotal advancements in employing photocatalytic fibers to tackle environmental issues encompassing dye degradation, antibiotics decomposition, heavy metal removal, indoor air purification, and microbial disinfection. These applications hold significant promise in promoting cleaner and healthier environments while aligning with sustainability objectives. However, the implementation of photocatalytic fibers in practical scenarios is not without its challenges. Issues, such as near infrared responsiveness, all-day active capacity, reusability, and scalability, must be addressed to ensure their reliability and long-term effectiveness. Potential solutions for surmounting these challenges are also delved, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview for researchers and stakeholders. Exploring new avenues and innovative approaches may pave the way for the widespread deployment of photocatalytic fibers in environmental purification, especially in the post-pandemic era where the need for clean and safe environments is more evident than ever. Photocatalytic fibers demonstrate potential across various applications, encompassing dye degradation, antibiotics decomposition, heavy metal removal, indoor air purification, and microbial disinfection. Despite the promise, their widespread implementation faces several critical challenges. This perspective delivers potential opportunities and strategies that can address these challenges and pave the way for the effective and extensive utilization of photocatalytic fibers in environmental purification.image (c) 2023 WILEY-VCH GmbH