Development of Polymer Based Electrospun Nanofiber Filters for Removal of Aerosols from Petrochemical Industrial Exhaust

Abstract

The abundant existence of air pollutants and its penalties on human health is a worldwide apprehension. The filter media conventionally used to capture PM from air are comprised of microfiber but with the limitations of not being able to remove multiple pollutants; volatile organic compounds (VOCs and microbes; virus& bacteria). Composite electrospun multifunctional air filtration nanofibrous membranes have gained more attention in the recent era because they are synthesized by simple and eco-friendly electrospinning technique. This research presents the development of PTFE-metaloxides based electrospun composite nanofibrous filter mats for capturing particulate matters, volatile organic compounds and microbes from air at a minimum air pressure drop and holding high quality by mimicking actual industrial conditions. Physiochemical structural properties of the heat treated PTFE-Metal oxide nanofibrous filter mats improved by metal oxides doping like fiber diameter, porosity and hydrophobicity; mean fiber diameter decrease from 0.24 μm to 0.12 μm, porosity increase up to 88.73 %. Water contact angle also increased from 102 to 122 degrees respectively. Aerosol filtration efficiency (%) of composite filter mats enhanced up to the 97.71% for PM2.5 and 99.33% for PM10. Pressure drop for filter mats retained up to 42 Pa in comparison with commercial PTFE filter with pressure drop of 62 Pa. Quality factor of PTFE nanofibrous mats at 0.024(Pa-1) meet the requirements of commercially available PTFE air filters. UV results demonstrated that surface adsorption of the VOCs by mats were effective in removing formaldehyde and toluene by (PTFE-ZnO) formaldehyde & acetone by (PTFE-NiO) from polluted air. Nanofibrous filter mats demonstrated excellent self-cleaning property which further aid in long term air filtration of hazardous pollutants from air. Hence, these surface modified hydrophobic multifunctional composite air filters can effectively be used in wide practical application in industries to ensure good indoor air quality