In Situ Active Poling of Nanofiber Networks for Gigantically Enhanced Particulate Filtration

Sunlight-Driven Self-Cleaning Ultrafine Particulate Matter Filter with Antibacterial Activity

Air pollution by particulate matter (PM) and airborne pathogens causes severe health problems in the human body. Presently, popular disposable air filters yield huge waste and have a fatal impact on the environment. Postuse cleaning of air filters also leads to secondary air and water pollution. Here, we report a sunlight-driven self-cleaning PM filter by coupling a full-solar-spectrum-active photocatalyst comprising up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) decorated with semiconductor iron(III) oxide (UCNP@α-Fe2O3) shells stabilized upon graphene functionalized borosilicate fibrous membrane (rGO-BF). While rGO-BF ensures high PM adsorption, UCNP@α-Fe2O3 (NP) enables self-photodegradation of adsorbed PM under abundant sunlight and subsequent membrane regeneration, while preventing secondary air or water pollution. Rational surface chemistry and optimal microstructure enable our filters to remove >99% of PM2.5 under deplorable air-quality conditions. Moreover, our filter shows excellent antibacterial activity toward E. coli and S. aureus, demonstrating its potential for practical utilization in face masks, air filtering devices, and protective medical wear. This work successfully suggests an intriguing design platform for self-sustainable zero-waste air filter membranes.

MXene-Decorated Nylon Mesh Filters for Improvement of Indoor Air Quality by PM2.5 Filtration

Air pollution is a problem that is increasing day by day and poses a threat on a global scale. Particulate matter (PM) is one of the air pollutants that is the biggest concern regarding air quality. In order to control PM pollution, highly effective air filters are required. This is especially necessary for PM with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers (PM_2.5), which poses a health risk to humans. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time the use of a two-dimensional titanium carbide (Ti₃C₂) MXene nanosheets-decorated nylon mesh (MDNM) as a low cost and highly efficient PM_2.5 filter. This study develops a proof-of-concept method to capture PM_2.5. Thanks to their high specific surface area and active surface-terminating groups, conductive MXene nanosheets have made nylon mesh filters promising candidates for air filtration. The developed filters used electrostatic force to capture PM_2.5 and showed high removal efficiency (90.05%) when an ionizer was used and under an applied voltage of 10 V, while a commercial high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter had a removal efficiency of 91.03% measured under identical conditions. The proposed filters, which stand out with their low energy consumption, low pressure drop (∼14 Pa), and cost-effectiveness, have the potential to be a strong competitor to conventional PM filter systems used in many fields.

Electrospun nanofibers for medical face mask with protection capabilities against viruses: State of the art and perspective for industrial scale-up

Face masks have proven to be a useful protection from airborne viruses and bacteria, especially in the recent years pandemic outbreak when they effectively lowered the risk of infection from Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) or Omicron variants, being recognized as one of the main protective measures adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO). The need for improving the filtering efficiency performance to prevent penetration of fine particulate matter (PM), which can be potential bacteria or virus carriers, has led the research into developing new methods and techniques for face mask fabrication. In this perspective, Electrospinning has shown to be the most efficient technique to get either synthetic or natural polymers-based fibers with size down to the nanoscale providing remarkable performance in terms of both particle filtration and breathability. The aim of this Review is to give further insight into the implementation of electrospun nanofibers for the realization of the next generation of face masks, with functionalized membranes via addiction of active material to the polymer solutions that can give optimal features about antibacterial, antiviral, self-sterilization, and electrical energy storage capabilities. Furthermore, the recent advances regarding the use of renewable materials and green solvent strategies to improve the sustainability of electrospun membranes and to fabricate eco-friendly filters are here discussed, especially in view of the large-scale nanofiber production where traditional membrane manufacturing may result in a high environmental and health risk.

Self-Powered Fine Dust Filtration Using Triboelectrification-Induced Electric Field

Particulate matter (PM) in the environment can adversely affect the health of living things. However, high removal efficiency and low-pressure loss are crucial design challenges for any air filtration system. To circumvent the challenge, here, we demonstrate a novel triboelectric (TE) air filtration system that is based on a rotation-type triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and a filter comprising two sets of plates: primary and secondary, that are placed in the airflow channel. When the TENG charges the two plate sets with opposite charges, the flowing air particles are charged at the primary plates and are collected, due to an electric field, at the secondary plates. The TE filter has demonstrated a PM_2.5 removal efficiency of ~ 99.97% for the fine dust particles, and it remains stable even after several washing cycles. The pressure loss is almost two orders less than the high-efficiency particulate air filter. Since the airflow itself can drive the TENG, the TE filter can potentially be integrated with any air conditioning system for fine dust filtration in offices, automobiles, etc.

Advances in particulate matter filtration: Materials, performance, and application

Air-borne pollutants in particulate matter (PM) form, produced either physically during industrial processes or certain biological routes, have posed a great threat to human health. Particularly during the current COVID-19 pandemic, effective filtration of the virus is an urgent matter worldwide. In this review, we first introduce some fundamentals about PM, including its source and classification, filtration mechanisms, and evaluation parameters. Advanced filtration materials and their functions are then summarized, among which polymers and MOFs are discussed in detail together with their antibacterial performance. The discussion on the application is divided into end-of-pipe treatment and source control. Finally, we conclude this review with our prospective view on future research in this area.

Ultralow Resistance Two-Stage Electrostatically Assisted Air Filtration by Polydopamine Coated PET Coarse Filter

Airborne particulate matters (PM) pose serious health threats to the population, and efficient filtration is needed for indoor and vehicular environments. However, there is an intrinsic conflict between filtration efficiency, air resistance, and service life. In this study, a two-stage electrostatically assisted air (EAA) filtration device is designed and the efficiency-air resistance-filter life envelope is significantly improved by a thin coating of polydopamine (PDA) on the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) coarse filter by in situ dopamine polymerization. The 8 mm thick EAA PDA-140@PET filter has a high filtration efficiency of 99.48% for 0.3 µm particles, low air resistance of 9.5 Pa at a filtration velocity of 0.4 m s^-1 , and steady performance up to 30 d. Compared with the bare PET filter, the penetration rate for 0.3 µm particles is lowered by 20×. The coated PDA is of submicron thickness, 10^-3  × the gap distance between filter fibers, so low air resistance could be maintained. The filter shows steadily high filtration efficiency and an acceptable increase of air resistance and holds nearly as many particles as its own weight in a 30 day long-term test. The working mechanism of the EAA coarse filter is investigated, and the materials design criteria are proposed.

Tribo-charge enhanced hybrid air filter masks for efficient particulate matter capture with greatly extended service life

Face masks have been an effective and indispensable personal protective measure against particulate matter pollutants and respiratory diseases, especially the novel Coronavirus disease recently. However, disposable surgical face masks suffer from low filtration efficiency for particles ranging from nano- to micro-size, and the limited service life of ~ 4 h. Here, a nano/micro fibrous hybrid air filter mask composing of electrospun nanofibrous network and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene:poly(styrenesulfonate) coated polypropylene (PP) is proposed. Furthermore, the resultant filter is supplied with tribo-charges by a freestanding sliding triboelectric nanogenerator. Through the enhanced synergistic effect of mechanical interception and electrostatic forces, the hybrid air filter demonstrates high filtration efficiency for particle size of 11.5 nm to 2.5 µm, with a 9.3-34.68% enhancement for particles of 0.3-2.5 µm compared to pristine PP, and 48-h stable filtration efficiency of 94% (0.3-0.4 µm) and 99% (1-2.5 µm) with a low pressure drop of ~110 Pa. In addition, sterilization ability of the tribo-charge enhanced air filter is demonstrated. This work provides a facile and cost-effective approach for state-of-the-art face masks toward high filtration performance of nano- to micro- particles with greatly extended service life.

Multiple hydrogen bonding self-assembly tailored electrospun polyimide hybrid filter for efficient air pollution control

Air pollutions are extremely serious threats to human health and the functional hybrid filter is able to remove complicated pollutants with great potential. However, the stable structure design of hybrid filter to provide efficient filtration and adsorption performance for high temperature applications still remains a challenge. In this study, electrospun polyimide (PI) based hybrid filter was fabricated via multiple hydrogen bonding self-assembly for high-temperature air purification. In particular, Octa(amino-propylsilsesquioxane) (POSS-NH₂) was utilized as "bridge" for the surface activation of PI fiber, and then amino-functionalized Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (NH₂-ZIF-8) nanocrystals were anchored on the fiber surface through hydrogen bonding. On account of the synergistic effect of the interception effect of fibers and the electrostatic interaction of NH₂-ZIF-8 nanocrystals, the as-obtained PI-POSS@ZIF hybrid filter possessed excellent filtration performance with a high PM0.3 removal efficiency of 99.28% and a low pressure drop of 49.21 Pa at high temperature of 280 °C. Moreover, due to the massive micropore structure, rich open metal sites and functional groups of NH₂-ZIF-8, the hybrid filter exhibited prominent VOCs adsorption performance with adsorption capability of 89.95 mg/g for formaldehyde.

Magnetoelectric Membrane Filters of Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/Cobalt Ferrite Oxide for Effective Capturing of Particulate Matter

In the last decade, particulate matter (PM) has gradually become a serious public health issue due to its harmful impact on the human body. In this study, we report a novel filtration system for high PM capturing, based on the magnetoelectric (ME) effect that induces an effective surface charge in membrane filters. To elucidate the ME effect on PM capturing, we prepared electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF)/CoFe2O4(CFO) membranes and investigated their PM capturing efficiency. After electrical poling under a high electric field of 10 kV/mm, PM-capturing efficiencies of the poled-PVDF/CFO membrane filters were improved with carbon/fluorine(C/F) molar ratios of C/F = 4.81 under Hdc = 0 and C/F = 7.01 under Hdc = 700 Oe, respectively. The result illustrates that electrical poling and a dc magnetic field could, respectively, enhance the surface charge of the membrane filters through (i) a strong beta-phase alignment in PVDF (poling effect) and (ii) an efficient shape change of PVDF/CFO membranes (magnetostriction effect). The diffusion rate of a water droplet on the PVDF/CFO membrane surface is reduced from 0.23 to 0.05 cm2/s by covering the membrane surface with PM. Consequently, the PM capturing efficiency is dramatically improved up to 175% from ME membranes with the poling process and applying a magnetic field. Furthermore, the PM was successfully captured on the prototype real mask derived from the magnetoelectric effect induced by a permanent magnet with a diameter of 2 cm without any external power.

Polypropylene/Polyvinyl Alcohol/Metal-Organic Framework-Based Melt-Blown Electrospun Composite Membranes for Highly Efficient Filtration of PM2.5

Particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) has become a public hazard to people's lives and health. Traditional melt-blown membranes cannot filter dangerous particles due to their limited diameter, and ultra-fine electrospinning fibers are vulnerable to external forces. Therefore, creating highly efficient air filters by using an innovative technique and structure has become necessary. In this study, a combination of polypropylene (PP) melt-blown and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/zeolite imidazole frameworks-8 (ZIF-8) electrospinning technique is employed to construct a PP/PVA/ZIF-8 membrane with a hierarchical fibrous structure. The synergistic effect of hierarchical fibrous structure and ZIF-8 effectively captures PM2.5. The PP/PVA composite membrane loaded with 2.5% loading ZIF-8 has an average filtration efficacy reaching as high as 96.5% for PM2.5 and quality factor (Qf) of 0.099 Pa-1. The resultant membrane resists 33.34 N tensile strength and has a low pressure drop, excellent filtration efficiency, and mechanical strength. This work presents a facile preparation method that is suitable for mass production and the application of membranes to be used as air filters for highly efficient filtration of PM2.5.

Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8/Polypropylene-Polycarbonate Barklike Meltblown Fibrous Membranes by a Facile in Situ Growth Method for Efficient PM2.5 Capture

Environmental pollution, especially air pollution, seriously endangers public health globally. Due to severe air pollution, air filters still face many challenges, especially in terms of filtration performance and filtration stability. Herein, a zeolitic imidazolate framework-8/polypropylene-polycarbonate barklike meltblown fibrous membrane (PPC/ZIF-8) was designed through meltblown and an in situ growth method, achieving efficient PM_2.5 capture and high filtration stability under a harsh environment. After in situ growth, the PPC/ZIF-8 membrane could dramatically enhance the PM_2.5 filtration efficiency without increasing the pressure drop; the PM_2.5 filtration efficiency and quality factor were up to 32.83 and 116.86% higher than those of the pure PPC membrane, respectively. Moreover, through five filtration-wash-dry cycles, the PM_2.5 filtration performance is still at a high level. This PPC/ZIF-8 membrane provides a new strategy for the preparation of an air filter with excellent comprehensive filtration performance.

Polytetrafluoroethylene/Polyphenylene Sulfide Needle-Punched Triboelectric Air Filter for Efficient Particulate Matter Removal

The demand for air filtration materials in recent years has been substantially increasing on a worldwide scale because people are paying extensive attention to particulate matter (PM) pollution. In this work, we report a type of needle-punched triboelectric air filter (N-TAF) consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fibers modified by silica nanoparticles and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) fibers. Compared to conventional electrostatic precipitators, the N-TAF can be charged online by a unique nonwoven processing technology without additional energy consumption and toxic ozone emission. Owing to the triboelectrification effect, a large number of charges were generated during the process of carding and needle-punching, resulting in an increased filtration performance. Benefiting from the addition of silica nanoparticles, the PTFE fibers are endowed with many pores and grooves and substantial surface roughness, which contributes to the enhancement of triboelectrification. As a result, the N-TAF with 2 wt % silica nanoparticles (N-TAF-2) exhibited a high removal efficiency of 89.4% for PM, which is 45% higher than unmodified N-TAF (61.8%), and a low pressure drop of 18.6 Pa. Meanwhile, the decay of the removal efficiency for N-TAF-2 remained at a low level (6.4%) for 60 days. More importantly, N-TAF-2 could realize a high efficiency of 99.7% and a low pressure drop of 55.4 Pa at a high surface density. In addition, the washed N-TAF has an excellent charge regeneration performance via air blowing or manual rubbing, thus recovering the removal efficiency easily and rapidly. Ultimately, the powerful dust holding capacity (227 g m^-2) for N-TAF-2 indicates that the filter has a long service life, which makes it a promising air purification material. The filter reported in this work has the potential to be practically applied to air purification fields because it has excellent filtration performance and is easy to be produced on a large industrial scale.

Hierarchical Ceramic Foams with 3D Interconnected Network Architecture for Superior High-Temperature Particulate Matter Capture

Developing new filters for the effective removal of high-temperature particulate matter is of great importance but still remains a challenge. Herein, we demonstrate a novel and facile strategy for producing hierarchical ceramic foams with three-dimensional interconnected porous architecture via the combination of chemical grafting of pore-forming agent and polyurethane foaming technique. Carbamate groups are directly grafted onto carbon black surface to enhance its dispersion. Abundant micrometer-sized pores are generated on the cell walls of porous frameworks to form three-dimensional interconnected porous architectures, resulting in the mullite foam with high particulate matter removal efficiency and relatively low pressure drop. The optimized mullite foam exhibits integrated properties of high particulate matter removal efficiency (96.7%), ultralow pressure drop (35 Pa), and outstanding recyclability. Our results open new opportunities for fabricating efficient particulate matter filters used in high-temperature environmental fields.

One-Step Bark-Like Imitated Polypropylene (PP)/Polycarbonate (PC) Nanofibrous Meltblown Membrane for Efficient Particulate Matter Removal

A bark-like imitated polypr opylene (PP)/polycarbonate (PC) nanofibrous membrane was constructed by one-step meltblown technique for efficient particulate matter (PM) removal. The effects of PC content (0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, and 7%) on membrane thermal stability, microscopic characteristics, filtration performance, hydrophilicity, and water vapor transmission were investigated. The results demonstrated that using facile design of incompatibility and viscosity difference between PC and PP polymers decreases average fiber diameter, creating a bark-like groove appearance and increasing surface potential, making a new PP/PC membrane with high filtration performance. The resultant PP/PC membrane had finer average fiber diameter of 0.63 μm, which was nearly 89.41% lower than PP membranes (5.95 μm), and its quality factor (0.036 Pa-1) was nearly 2.12 times than that of PP membranes (0.017 Pa-1) with the die hole diameter of 0.5 mm. This fabrication technique of a special meltblown filter membrane saves the cost of die retrofitting and post-processing, which provides an innovative method for particulate efficient removal of high efficient filters.

Transparent Antibacterial Nanofiber Air Filters with Highly Efficient Moisture Resistance for Sustainable Particulate Matter Capture

Particulate matter (PM) pollution has posed great threat to human health. This calls for versatile protection or treatment devices that are both efficient and easy to use. Herein, we have rationally designed a novel reusable bilayer fibrous filter consisting of electrospun superhydrophobic poly(methylmethacrylate)/polydimethylsiloxane fibers as the barrier for moisture ingression and superhydrophilic chitosan fibers for a PM capture efficiency of over 96% at optical transmittance of 86%. Furthermore, it could realize a high-level PM_2.5 capture efficiency (>98.23%) even after 100-h test during extremely hazardous air environment (PM_2.5 > 3,000 μg m^-3) and retain a high PM removal efficiency (PM_2.5 > 98.39%) after five washing cycles. Besides, such membranes possessed high antibacterial activity at 96.5% for E. coli and 95.2% for Staphylococcus aureus. As a proof-of-concept study, continuous particle removing has been successfully demonstrated on a window screen to prevent particle pollution.