Nanoporous Atomically Thin Graphene Filters for Nanoscale Aerosols

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Filtration Technology

Background:

• Effective filtration of nanoparticulate aerosols is crucial for personal protection equipment (PPE) in diverse fields.
• Conventional PPE often compromises breathability for nanoparticle filtration, especially for viruses (20-300 nm).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop advanced filters capable of efficiently blocking sub-20 nm nanoparticles.
• To create ultra-compact, lightweight, and breathable filtration solutions for enhanced personal protection.

Main Methods:

• Introducing tunable nanopores into monolayer graphene using oxygen plasma etching.
• Supporting graphene on polycarbonate track-etched substrates for filter fabrication.
• Testing filtration efficiency against aerosolized SiO2 nanoparticles (5-20 nm) and measuring air permeance.

Main Results:

• Achieved filtration of aerosolized SiO2 nanoparticles (5-20 nm) using functionalized graphene.
• Maintained significant air permeance (2.28-7.1 × 10^-5 mol m^-2 s^-1 Pa^-1).
• Demonstrated tunable, size-selective filtration by adjusting oxygen plasma etch time.

Conclusions:

• Developed a novel method for creating highly effective, size-selective nanoporous graphene filters.
• This technology enables the creation of advanced, lightweight PPE for mitigating biological and viral threats.
• The tunable nature of the filters allows for customized protection against specific nanoparticulate aerosols.