Janus Fiber-Based Membrane for Humid Condition Filtration with Concurrent Air Filtration and Directional Water...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Airborne particulate matter (PM) presents significant public health risks.
• Conventional air filters face challenges with weight, filtration efficiency, air permeability, and moisture management, impacting user comfort.
• Existing filters often compromise between filtration performance and breathability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a multifunctional Janus fiber-based membrane for advanced air filtration.
• To address the limitations of conventional filters, including weight, efficiency-permeability trade-offs, and moisture management.
• To create a breathable and comfortable filter material for personal protective equipment (PPE).

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a cellulose acetate (CA) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) Janus fiber membrane using eccentric core-shell electrospinning.
• Integration with a welded ultrafine TPU nanofiber network to create a hierarchical structure.
• Characterization of filtration efficiency, air permeability, and directional water transport properties.

Main Results:

• The CA/TPU Janus-TPU Net membrane achieved high filtration efficiencies: 99.1% for PM_0.3, 99.4% for PM_1.0, and 99.9% for PM_2.5.
• The membrane demonstrated excellent air permeability with a low pressure drop of 87 Pa.
• A high directional water transport capacity of 819% was recorded, indicating effective moisture management.

Conclusions:

• The developed Janus fiber membrane offers a hierarchical structure for graded filtration, superior air permeability, and directional water transport.
• The membrane maintains performance under challenging conditions, including high airflow, particle concentrations, and humidity.
• This material shows significant promise as a filter core for next-generation PPE, improving both protection and wearer comfort.