Electroblown titanium dioxide and titanium dioxide/silicon dioxide submicron fibers with and without titania nanorod layer for strontium(II) uptake

•Submicron titania and titania/silica composite fibers were prepared by electroblowing.•Rutile titania nanorods were hydrothermally synthesized on the fibers.•Presence of silica hindered the growth of nanorods on the composite fibers.•Both plain and hydrothermally modified fibers had excellent strontium uptake.•Hydrothermally modified titania fibers were durable in column operation test.