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Malloy J, Marlowe E, Jensen CJ, Liu IS, Hulse T, Murray AF, Bryan D, Denes TG, Gilbert DA, Yin G, Liu K. Microstructure-dependent particulate filtration using multifunctional metallic nanowire foams. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:15094-15103. [PMID: 39076072 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr02368d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the urgent need for the development of efficient, durable, reusable and recyclable filtration media for the deep-submicron size range. Here we demonstrate a multifunctional filtration platform using porous metallic nanowire foams that are efficient, robust, antimicrobial, and reusable, with the potential to further guard against multiple hazards. We have investigated the foam microstructures, detailing how the growth parameters influence the overall surface area and characteristic feature size, as well as the effects of the microstructures on the filtration performance. Nanogranules deposited on the nanowires during electrodeposition are found to greatly increase the surface area, up to 20 m2 g-1. Surprisingly, in the high surface area regime, the overall surface area gained from the nanogranules has little correlation with the improvement in capture efficiency. However, nanowire density and diameter play a significant role in the capture efficiency of PM0.3 particles, as do the surface roughness of the nanowire fibers and their characteristic feature sizes. Antimicrobial tests on the Cu foams show a >99.9995% inactivation efficiency after contacting the foams for 30 seconds. These results demonstrate promising directions to achieve a highly efficient multifunctional filtration platform with optimized microstructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Malloy
- Department of Physics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
| | - Erin Marlowe
- Department of Physics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
| | | | - Isaac S Liu
- Department of Physics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Thomas Hulse
- Department of Physics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
- Department of Physics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
| | - Anne F Murray
- Department of Food Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Daniel Bryan
- Department of Food Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Thomas G Denes
- Department of Food Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Dustin A Gilbert
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Gen Yin
- Department of Physics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
| | - Kai Liu
- Department of Physics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
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2
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Lima FDA, Chagas PAM, Honorato ACS, da Silva EN, Aguiar ML, Guerra VG. Multifactorial evaluation of an ultra-fast process for electrospinning of recycled expanded polystyrene to manufacture high-efficiency membranes for nanoparticle air filtration. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 362:121352. [PMID: 38833930 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
The increased production of polystyrene waste has led to the need to find efficient ways to dispose of it. One possibility is the use of solid waste to produce filter media by the electrospinning technique. The aim of this work was to develop an ultra-fast electrospinning process applied to recycled polystyrene, with statistical evaluation of the influence of polymeric solution parameters (polymer concentration and percentage of DL-limonene) and process variables (flow rate, voltage, and type of support) on nanoparticle collection efficiency, air permeability, and fiber diameter. An extensive characterization of the materials and evaluation of the morphology of the fibers was also carried out. It was found that recycled expanded polystyrene could be used in electrospinning to produce polymeric membranes. The optimized condition that resulted in the highest nanoparticle collection efficiency was a polymer concentration of 13.5%, percentage of DL-limonene of 50%, voltage of 25 kV, and flow rate of 1.2 mL/h, resulting in values of 99.97 ± 0.01%, 2.6 ± 0.5 × 10-13 m2, 0.19 Pa-1, and 708 ± 176 nm for the collection efficiency of nanoparticles in the range from 6.38 to 232.9 nm, permeability, quality factor, and mean fiber diameter, respectively. All the parameters were found to influence collection efficiency and fiber diameter. The use of DL-limonene, a natural solvent, provided benefits including increased collection efficiency and decreased fiber size. In addition, the electrostatic filtration mechanism was evaluated using the presence of a copper grid as a support for the nanofibers. The findings demonstrated that an electrospinning time of only 5 min was sufficient to obtain filters with high collection efficiencies and low pressure drops, opening perspectives for the application of polystyrene waste in the development of materials with excellent characteristics for application in the area of atmospheric pollution mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe de Aquino Lima
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, C.P. 676, CEP, 13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Paulo Augusto Marques Chagas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, C.P. 676, CEP, 13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Sguizzato Honorato
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, C.P. 676, CEP, 13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Edilton Nunes da Silva
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, C.P. 676, CEP, 13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Mônica Lopes Aguiar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, C.P. 676, CEP, 13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Vádila Giovana Guerra
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, C.P. 676, CEP, 13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
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Liao Y, Lyu J, Zhang Y, Hong Y, Ding S, Wu Z, Liu H, Wu J. Specialized spatially-arranged non-circular fibers enhance filtration performance of African shrimp ( Atya gabonensis). BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2024; 19:036013. [PMID: 38579733 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ad3b57] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
African shrimp (Atya gabonensis) inhabit clear freshwaters, where the notably low concentration of food may pose a challenge to the efficacy of filter fibers on the chela for filter-feeding. Here, we investigate how the distinctive cross-sectional characteristics and spatial arrangement of the African shrimp's non-circular fibers contribute to the enhanced filtration performance of these specialized fibers. The unilateral thickening of the wall along the long axis of the elliptical cross-section of African shrimp fibers markedly enhances the filtration performance. The staggered and twisted arrangement of the fibers optimizes the surrounding flow field, achieving a favorable balance between pressure drop and collection efficiency, consequently improving their filtration performance in collecting fine particles (diameter: 2-10μm). Moreover, the arrangement of the fibers substantially increases the effective flow-facing filtering area of the fiber bundles, thus facilitating their efficiency in collecting larger particles (diameter > 10μm). The unique fiber properties of the African shrimp offer novel insights for the design and optimization of new fiber-filtering robots, presenting a wide range of potential applications, such as marine in-situ resource extraction, medical filtration, and industrial filtration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifeng Liao
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518107, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Lyu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518107, People's Republic of China
| | - Yujia Zhang
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518107, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuhe Hong
- School of Advanced Manufacturing, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuoshuo Ding
- School of Advanced Manufacturing, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhigang Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518107, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Liu
- Key&Core, Technology Innovation Institute of the Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou 510535, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianing Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518107, People's Republic of China
- School of Advanced Manufacturing, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, People's Republic of China
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Ouyang H, Wang L, Sapkota D, Yang M, Morán J, Li L, Olson BA, Schwartz M, Hogan CJ, Torremorell M. Control technologies to prevent aerosol-based disease transmission in animal agriculture production settings: a review of established and emerging approaches. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1291312. [PMID: 38033641 PMCID: PMC10682736 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1291312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmission of infectious agents via aerosols is an ever-present concern in animal agriculture production settings, as the aerosol route to disease transmission can lead to difficult-to-control and costly diseases, such as porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus and influenza A virus. It is increasingly necessary to implement control technologies to mitigate aerosol-based disease transmission. Here, we review currently utilized and prospective future aerosol control technologies to collect and potentially inactivate pathogens in aerosols, with an emphasis on technologies that can be incorporated into mechanically driven (forced air) ventilation systems to prevent aerosol-based disease spread from facility to facility. Broadly, we find that control technologies can be grouped into three categories: (1) currently implemented technologies; (2) scaled technologies used in industrial and medical settings; and (3) emerging technologies. Category (1) solely consists of fibrous filter media, which have been demonstrated to reduce the spread of PRRSV between swine production facilities. We review the mechanisms by which filters function and are rated (minimum efficiency reporting values). Category (2) consists of electrostatic precipitators (ESPs), used industrially to collect aerosol particles in higher flow rate systems, and ultraviolet C (UV-C) systems, used in medical settings to inactivate pathogens. Finally, category (3) consists of a variety of technologies, including ionization-based systems, microwaves, and those generating reactive oxygen species, often with the goal of pathogen inactivation in aerosols. As such technologies are typically first tested through varied means at the laboratory scale, we additionally review control technology testing techniques at various stages of development, from laboratory studies to field demonstration, and in doing so, suggest uniform testing and report standards are needed. Testing standards should consider the cost-benefit of implementing the technologies applicable to the livestock species of interest. Finally, we examine economic models for implementing aerosol control technologies, defining the collected infectious particles per unit energy demand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Ouyang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas-Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Lan Wang
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
| | - Deepak Sapkota
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas-Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - My Yang
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
| | - José Morán
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Li Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Bernard A. Olson
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Mark Schwartz
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
- Schwartz Farms, Sleepy Eye, MN, United States
| | - Christopher J. Hogan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Montserrat Torremorell
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
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Zhou G, Xu Z, Chen G, Liu R, Wang Y. Hydrophobic/oleophobic nanofibrous filter media with bead-on-string structure for efficient personal protection of dust in mines. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 226:115699. [PMID: 36933635 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Pneumoconiosis in mines occupied more than 90% of the total number of occupational diseases, poses tremendous pressure and challenges on the development of personal protection materials with high dust filtration efficiency and long-lasting comfortable wearing. In this study, a kind of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) based filter media with the bead-on-string structure and hydrophobic/oleophobic property was designed and fabricated by electrospinning technology. Nanoscale silicon dioxide (SiO2NPs) and fluorinated polyurethane (PU) used in this work were benefited for the microstructure, surface energy and hydrophobic/oleophobic property, respectively. The morphology and composition of the membranes were conducted by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Furthermore, the filtration performance, pressure drop, moisture permeability and breathing comfortable performance were measured for the study of personal protection of dust. The results showed that at the air flow of 85 L min-1, PET/SiO2/FPU double-layer nanofibrous membrane showed high filtration efficiency and low pressure drop with the filtration efficiency of 99.96%, pressure drop of 142.5 Pa and quality factor of 0.055 Pa-1, respectively. A long term of 24 h water vapor test had proved that this membrane held an outstanding moisture permeability ability of 5296.325 g (m2 24 h)-1. Compared with the commercial 3701CN filter media, the advantages of the regular breathing frequency and strong heart rate control ability indicated that this PET/SiO2/FPU double-layer membrane had the better wearing comfortable performance with broad application prospects in the personal protection of dust in mines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Zhou
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China; State Key Laboratory of Mining Disaster Prevention and Control Co-founded by Shandong Province and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Zhuo Xu
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China; State Key Laboratory of Mining Disaster Prevention and Control Co-founded by Shandong Province and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Guanshuang Chen
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China; State Key Laboratory of Mining Disaster Prevention and Control Co-founded by Shandong Province and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Rulin Liu
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China; State Key Laboratory of Mining Disaster Prevention and Control Co-founded by Shandong Province and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China
| | - Yongmei Wang
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China; State Key Laboratory of Mining Disaster Prevention and Control Co-founded by Shandong Province and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China.
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6
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Bridging transport and deposition of colloidal nanoparticles on cylindrical microfibers. POWDER TECHNOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.powtec.2023.118330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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7
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Dziubak T. Experimental Studies of PowerCore Filters and Pleated Filter Baffles. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 15:7292. [PMID: 36295358 PMCID: PMC9612278 DOI: 10.3390/ma15207292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The material most commonly used to filter and clean the intake air of vehicle internal combustion engines is pleated filter paper, which in most cases is shaped in the form of a cylinder or panel. The production technology has a low cost and is not complicated. In addition to high separation efficiency and filtration performance, pleated filter media are required to have low initial pressure drop, which depends on the geometry of the bed. Much research has been conducted in this area. Dust accumulated in the filter bed causes an increase in pressure drop, which is the cause of deformation and sticking of pleats. The lack of stability of the pleats, the need to strengthen them, and the need to obtain small sizes while achieving high efficiency and accuracy of filtration of engine intake air was the reason for the development of a different design and a new technology for making filter cartridges called PowerCore. The distinctive feature of these filters is axial flow in one direction of the air stream, which avoids turbulence and thus minimizes pressure drop. This paper presents a comparative analysis of a standard PowerCore and PowerCore G2 filter bed and two cylindrical filters with a pleated filter bed made of cellulose and polyester. The conditions and methodology of experimental testing of filters with test dust are presented. During the tests, the characteristics of separation efficiency and filtration performance, as well as pressure drop as a function of the mass of dust retained on the filter of two PowerCore filters and two cylindrical filters were performed. Three specimens of test filters with the same filtration area were made from each sample of filter bed. The results showed that in each test of the filter bed, there is an initial filtration period characterized by low (96-98%) initial separation efficiency and the presence of large (dpmax) dust grains. As the dust loading of the bed increases, the separation efficiency and filtration performance obtain higher and higher values. The initial period of filtration ends when the conventional value (99.9%) of separation efficiency is reached. The duration of this period depends on the type of filter bed and for the PowerCore G2 filter ends for a dust loading of km = 33.1 g/m2, and for the cellulose filter for km = 117.3 g/m2. During the initial period, the air behind the PowerCore G2 filter contains grains with sizes in the range of dpmax = 9-16 µm. Behind the cellulose filter, dust grains are much larger, dpmax = 17-35 µm. The total operating time of the PowerCore G2 filter, limited by the achievement of the permittivity resistance Δpwdop = 3 kPa, is twice that of the other filter compositions tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadeusz Dziubak
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Military University of Technology, 2 Gen. Sylwestra Kaliskiego Street, 00-908 Warszaw, Poland
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Unfolding the effects of decontamination treatments on the structural and functional integrity of N95 respirators via numerical simulations. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4191. [PMID: 35264706 PMCID: PMC8906365 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08150-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) provide effective protection against diseases spread through airborne infectious droplets and particles. The widespread use of FFRs during the COVID-19 pandemic has not only led to supply shortages, but the disposal of single-use facemasks also threatens the environment with a new kind of plastic pollution. While limited reuse of filtering facepiece respirators has been permitted as a crisis capacity strategy, there are currently no standard test methods available for decontamination before their repeated use. The decontamination of respirators can compromise the structural and functional integrity by reducing the filtration efficiency and breathability. Digital segmentation of X-ray microcomputed tomography (microCT) scans of the meltblown nonwoven layers of a specific N95 respirator model (Venus-4400) after treatment with one and five cycles of liquid hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet radiation, moist heat, and aqueous soap solution enabled us to perform filtration simulations of decontaminated respirators. The computed filtration efficiencies for 0.3 µm particles agreed well with experimental measurements, and the distribution of particle penetration depths was correlated with the structural changes resulting from decontamination. The combination of X-ray microCT imaging with numerical simulations thus provides a strategy for quantitative evaluation of the effectiveness of decontamination treatments for a specific respirator model.
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Deng GZ, Liu XW, Deng JJ, Cao Y, Kang XJ, Zhu HY. Investigation of novel mercapto-functionalized nanofiber membrane for the adsorption of mercury in air. CHEMICAL PAPERS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11696-021-01927-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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10
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Kakoria A, Chandel SS, Sinha-Ray S. Novel supersonically solution blown nanofibers from waste PET bottle for PM0.1-2 filtration: From waste to pollution mitigation. POLYMER 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2021.124260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Song J, Zhao Q, Meng C, Meng J, Chen Z, Li J. Hierarchical Porous Recycled PET Nanofibers for High-Efficiency Aerosols and Virus Capturing. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:49380-49389. [PMID: 34613694 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c17157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Plastic crisis, especially for poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) bottles, has been one of the greatest challenges for the earth and human beings. Processing recycled PET (rPET) into functional materials has the dual significance of both sustainable development and economy. Providing more possibilities for the engineered application of rPET, porous PET fibers can further enhance the high specific surface area of electrospun membranes. Here, we use a two-step strategy of electrospinning and postprocessing to successfully control the surface morphology of rPET fibers. Through a series of optical and thermal characterizations, the porous morphology formation mechanism and crystallinity induced by solvents of rPET fibers were discussed. Then, this work further investigated both PM2.5 air pollutants and protein filtration performance of rPET fibrous membrane. The high capture capability of rPET membrane demonstrated its potential application as an integrated high-efficiency aerosol filtering solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Song
- Department of Materials, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K
| | - Qi Zhao
- Department of Materials, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K
| | - Chen Meng
- Department of Materials, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K
| | - Jinmin Meng
- Department of Materials, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K
| | - Zhongda Chen
- Department of Materials, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K
| | - Jiashen Li
- Department of Materials, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K
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Sanyal A, Sinha-Ray S. Ultrafine PVDF Nanofibers for Filtration of Air-Borne Particulate Matters: A Comprehensive Review. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:1864. [PMID: 34205188 PMCID: PMC8199986 DOI: 10.3390/polym13111864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing global pandemic has bestowed high priority uponthe separation of air-borne particulate matters (PMs), aerosols, etc. using nonwoven fibrous materials, especially for face masks as a means of personal protection. Although spunbond or meltblown nonwoven materials are amongst the forerunners for polymer microfiber-based face mask or air filter development in mass scale, relatively new process of nonwoven manufacturing such as electrospinning is gaining a lot of momentum amongst the filter membrane manufacturers for its scalability of nanofiber-based filter membrane fabrication. There are several nanofiber-based face masks developing industries, which claim a very high efficiency in filtration of particulate matters (PM0.1-10) as well as other aerosols for their products. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), which is commonly known for its use of tactile sensors and energy harvesters, due to its piezoelectric property, is slowly gaining popularity among researchers and developers as an air filter material. Electrospun PVDF nanofibers can be as fine as 50 nm in mass scale, which allows the membrane to have large surface area compared to its volume, enhancing nanofiber-PM interaction. At the same time, the breathability index can be improved through these PVDF nanofiber membranes due to their architectural uniqueness that promotes slip flow around the fibers. The conductive nature of PVDF makes it advantageous as a promising electret filter allowing better capturing of ultrafine particles. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of such PVDF nanofiber-based filter membranes and their roles in air filtration, especially its application in filtrate of air-borne PMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayishe Sanyal
- School of Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Mandi 175005, HP, India;
| | - Sumit Sinha-Ray
- School of Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Mandi 175005, HP, India;
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607-7022, USA
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