Three-dimensional composite electrospun nanofibrous membrane by multi-jet electrospinning with sheath gas for high-efficiency antibiosis air filtration

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) composite polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) electrospun nanofibrous membranes combining both thick and thin nanofibers have been fabricated by the method of multi-jet electrospinning with sheath gas to realize high-efficiency air filtration under a low pressure drop. The thin PAN nanofibers form a dense membrane, with a strong capturing ability on the ultra-fine particles, while the thick PVDF nanofibers play a 3D supporting effect on the thin PAN nanofibers. In this case, the combination results in a fluffy membrane with higher porosity, which could achieve the airflow passing through the membrane without the air pressure drop. The effects of the composite manner of thick nanofibers and thin nanofibers are investigated, in order to optimize the air filtration performance of the 3D composite nanofibrous membrane. As a result, the maximum quality factor for air filtration could reach up to 0.398 Pa−1. The particle-fiber interaction model was used to simulate the air filtration process as well, and the simulation results were fairly consistent with the experimental results, providing a guidance method for the optimization of composite nanofibrous membrane for high-efficiency air filtration. More interestingly, a cationic poly[2-(N,N-dimethyl amino) ethyl methacrylate] (PDMAEMA) was added in the PVDF solution to obtain a composite air filtration membrane with excellent antibiosis performance, which achieved the highest inhibition rate of approximately 90%. In short, this work provides an effective way to promote antibiosis air filtration performance by using an electrospun nanofibrous membrane, and might also effectively accelerate the biological protection application of current air filtration membranes.

Stimulus-Responsive Shrinkage in Electrospun Membranes: Fundamentals and Control

“…Electrospinning is a commonly used technology for producing fiber/nanofiber membranes and has been widely used in tissue engineering, filtration systems, flexible electronics, etc. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Many electrospinning fiber membranes (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), poly (lactic acid) (PLA), poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), polysulfone (PSF), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL)) shrink under certain conditions, e.g., upon heating and/or immersing in a right solvent [ 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ].…”

High-performance multifunctional electrospun fibrous air filter for personal protection: A review

“…Furthermore, increasing the proportion of coarse PVDF fibers in bimodal membrane with double–layer structure would further improve the filtration performance, because too many fine PAN fibers would make the pressure drop rise sharply, and the adverse impact exceeded the contribution of improved filtration efficiency to performance. Finally, the QF of the optimized bimodal fibrous membrane was 0.0398 Pa −1 [142] . Nevertheless, the fibrous diameter with the best slip effect of bimodal fibrous membrane remained to be explored.…”

Directional Water Transport Janus Composite Nanofiber Membranes for Comfortable Bioprotection

“…Nanofiber membranes which have the advantages of small diameter, large specific surface area, high porosity, and interconnected tortuous channels are widely used in air filters and waterproof-breathable membranes. − As a low-cost and easy-to-process approach to fabricate nanofiber membrane, electrospinning has attracted great attention in recent years, promoting the development of functional textiles. − By controlling the electrospinning parameters, the morphology of the nanofiber membrane can be easily adjusted to achieve specific properties. − In addition, as fibers could be deposited layer by layer in the electrospinning process, membranes with different components on each layer could be easily obtained. − Therefore, the Janus composite nanofiber membrane with a wettability gradient could be easily produced and optimized by electrospinning, which can match the sweat transmission, water resistance, and dust-proof function, realizing comfortable bioprotection.…”