Abstract
Air pollution has become a major environmental concern given the ever increasing levels of particulate matter (PM) and the increased in treatment-resistant bacterial and viral strains. Major efforts are therefore required into the development of air filtration and purification technology as well as novel, alternative antiviral and antibacterial treatment modalities. Here, we report an environmentally friendly method for the generation of multifunctional poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) (PVA-PAA) composite membranes via green electrospinning and thermal crosslinking. Superhydrophobic silica nanoparticles were then incorporated into the fibers resulting in a rough surface, after which AgNO3 was introduced, resulting in the formation of Ag nanoparticles through UV reduction. The PVA-PAA-SiO2-Ag NPs membranes were found to possess high air filtration performance (with >98% filtration efficiency for PM2.5) as well as potent antibacterial and antiviral activities. The green synthesis approach avoids the use of hazardous organic solvents, thereby bypassing any potential toxicity concerns caused by organic solvent residues. These newly designed PVA-PAA-SiO2 NPs-Ag NPs nanofibrous membranes with many superior features (e.g. high filtration efficiency, high tensile strength, biological compatibility, and antibacterial properties) can be applied in eco-friendly air filtration materials, in particular for personal air filtration devices.
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 callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
