PM2.5 and PM10 adsorption onto filters and surfaces functionalized with calcium carbonate particle assembly

Abstract

Existing air-cleaning solutions more and more fail to tackle the escalating air pollution by particle manner. Here, a novel air-cleaning method is proposed based on assembled porous CaCO3 particle arrays on a glass surface and on air filter fibers. The composition and crystallographic structure of the CaCO3 particles are analyzed using advanced X-ray scattering techniques and Fourier transform infrared analysis. The strength of particle attachment to the glass surface under environmental conditions and the CaCO3 particles particulate matter (PM) interaction is studied by atomic force microscopy. The air cleaning process is studied by the exposure of these assembled particles to polluted air. It is shown that the adsorption of particulate matter is facilitated which affects the filtration efficiency. Biocompatible CaCO3 microparticle arrays effectively adsorb airborne particulate matter. CaCO3-coated air filters demonstrate over 10 times increased efficiency for particles smaller than 1 µm, enhancing the filters' quality factor by up to 22 times. Summarizing, this research offers a promising solution to combat air pollution and lays the groundwork to develop more advanced and efficient air purification technologies. SynopsisAssembled calcium carbonate particle arrays have been used to clean particulate matter from the air.