Polystyrene/Fluorinated Polyurethane Electrospinning Nanofiber Membranes Incorporated with Graphene Oxide–Halamine as Mask Filter Materials for Reusable Antibacterial Applications

Abstract

The efficient filtering of particulate matter (PM) with particle diameters of less than 0.3 μm (PM0.3) is challenging. Therefore, mask filter materials with effective interception of PM0.3 and long-term antibacterial performance are urgently required. Herein, polystyrene/fluorinated polyurethane (PS/FPU)-doped graphene oxide–halamine (GO–GH) nanofiber membranes were prepared via electrospinning, and the relevant morphology, structure, and applicable properties were systematically characterized. The diameters of the PS/FPU/GO–GH nanofibers were significantly lower than those of the PS/FPU fibers, and GO–GH doping increased the Young’s modulus and tensile strength of the material by more than 100%. Additionally, in terms of filtration performance, an efficiency of 99.5% was obtained for a nanofiber filter mask constructed using the PS/FPU/GO–GH membrane, with a filtration resistance of 54 Pa. The antibacterial rate of the PS/FPU/GO–GH against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli reached more than 97%. Furthermore, after 10 chlorination/quenching cycles, a high bacteriostatic rate was still demonstrated for the membrane. This work would provide a strategy for the fabrication of nanofiber filter materials for reusable antibacterial applications.

Fabric Comprised of Cotton Impregnated with Graphene Oxide and Coated with Polystyrene for Personal Moisture and Thermal Management

“…The FTIR spectrum of the pure cotton fabric showed peaks at approximately 3300, 2900, 1650, 1430, and 1057 cm −1 , which were ascribed to OH stretching, asymmetrical C− H stretching, C�O stretching, CH 2 symmetric bending, and C−O stretching, respectively (Figure 2a). 20,22 These functional groups could help affix GO, as a dye molecule, to the fiber surfaces during the soaking procedure. Notably, no discernible alterations were identified in the FTIR spectra of the G/P-C fabrics following the GO nanosheet absorption onto cotton (Figure 2a), whose result is consistent with previously published research.…”

Electrospun‐SiO2‐Nanofiber‐Reinforced Cellulose Aerogel Loaded with ZIF‐67 for Air Filtration and Formaldehyde Adsorption

“…The filtration process must ensure the stability and practicality of the filter material. [43][44][45][46][47] Filtration testing using salty particulate matter revealed that the filtration efficiency and air resistance gradually increased over time (Figure 5f,g). While a very small change in air resistance was observed initially, it became more significant after 3 min.…”

An Overview on Exploitation of Graphene-Based Membranes: From Water Treatment to Medical Industry, Including Recent Fighting against COVID-19

“…In addition, the use of face mask wearing can reduce the spread of the virus because masks interfere with the virus transmission process at a level of a physical barrier independent of coronavirus variant [ 6 ]. Interesting materials that can be used to prepare mask filters are graphene and graphene derivatives, for their antibacterial and antiviral properties but also for their selective transport properties [ 7 ]. The potential of graphene could help researchers in the fight against COVID-19 [ 8 ].…”