•Waste eggshell membrane (ESM) is functionalized for photodegradation of dyes.•Polyethyleneimine (PEI) is used to modify surface of ESM.•TiO2 nanoparticles are assembled on ESM with 3D fibrous structure.•The surface properties of the ESM treated with TiO2 nanoparticles are analyzed.•TiO2-PEI-ESM exhibits strong photocatalytic activity for the degradation of dyes.We fabricated a low-cost and efficient composite photocatalyst material, combining eggshell membrane (ESM) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, through self-assembly method. ESM with 3D porous structures provide scaffolds for TiO2 nanoparticles. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) was used to modify ESM by grafting amine groups. The microstructure and property of the fabricated composites were studied by various characterization methods. The composite was used for the photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). The results demonstrate that the composite catalyst possesses good photocatalytic performance for dye degradation under sunlight irradiation simulated by a xenon lamp. Functionalization based on nanomaterials may promote the applications of ESM.Download high-res image (69KB)Download full-size image