Abstract
With increasing air pollution and sporadic outbreaks of epidemics, there is ramping attention on the filtration devices. The main constituents of airborne pollutants are particulate matters of solid particles, liquid aerosol, bioaerosol/bio-droplets, and gas/vapor. With the growing demand for high-performance filters, novel materials and functionalities are being developed applying advanced technologies. In this paper, recent developments of fiber-based particulate filters are reviewed, with a focus on the important performance parameters and material properties. Trends in technology and research activities are briefly reviewed, and the evaluative measures of filtration performance are reported. Recent studies on the advanced filter materials are reviewed in the aspect of polymers and the fabrication process of fibrous assembly. The characterization method including 3D modeling and simulation is also briefly introduced. Multifunctional filters such as antimicrobial filter and gas and particulate filters are briefly introduced, and efforts for developing environmentally sustainable filters are noted.
Highlights
With increasing air pollution and sporadic outbreaks of epidemics, there is ramping attention on the filtration devices
Silver has been widely employed as an antimicrobial agent [134,135,137,138,142,143]; when the silver nanoparticle-decorated silica hybrid particles were incorporated in the air filter material [143], the produced web showed the prompt and synergistic antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative (E. coli) and Gram-positive (S. epidermidis) bacteria
Polystyrene filter webs were made from the recycled waste of high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) and expanded polystyrene (EPS), and the recycled webs showed the filtration efficiency greater than 99.99%, which was comparable to the commercial high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter [98,99]
Summary
With increasing air pollution and sporadic outbreaks of epidemics, there is ramping attention on the filtration devices. Air-purifying respirators (APR) had been worn mainly by the first responders and industrial workers for respiratory protection from the exposure to airborne particles and gaseous matters. The main constituents of airborne pollutants are particulate matters of solid particles, liquid aerosol, bioaerosol/bio-droplets, metal fume, gas, and vapor (Table 1). With the growing demand for high-performance filters, increasing research efforts are being made on understanding the filtration mechanism and developing novel filter materials. Of particular attention is the increased number of published articles from China and South Korea in recent ten years, reflecting the striving effort for responding to serious air pollution in this region. Recent developments of fiber-based particulate filters are reviewed, with a focus on the important performance parameters and material properties.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
