Biomimetic Grooved Ribbon Aerogel Inspired by the Structure of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Needles for Efficient...

Air pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM) and ammonia (NH₃), generated by intensive animal farming pose considerable threats to human health, animal welfare, and ecological balance. Conventional materials are often ineffective at simultaneously removing multiple pollutants, maintaining a low pressure drop, and ensuring durability in heavily polluted environments. Inspired by the dust-retention properties of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica (PS) needles, this study developed a biomimetic grooved ribbon fiber using electrospinning technology. These fibers were further assembled into a three-dimensional bioinspired aerogel structure through freeze-forming technology to achieve efficient dust capture. Additionally, the introduction of UiO-66-NH₂ nanoparticles significantly enhanced the properties of the aerogels for NH₃ adsorption. Among the various prepared aerogels (PG, UPG-5, UPG-10, UPG-15, and UPG-20), UPG-10 demonstrated the best performance, achieving a filtration efficiency of 99.24% with a pressure drop of 95 Pa. Notably, it exhibited a remarkable dust-holding capacity of 147 g/m², and its NH₃ adsorption capacity reached 99.89 cm³/g, surpassing PG aerogel by 31.46 cm³/g. Additionally, UPG-10 exhibited outstanding elasticity, maintaining over 80% of its original shape after 30 compression cycles. This biomimetic aerogel presents a promising solution for air purification, contributing to improved agricultural efficiency and environmental sustainability.