International Graduate Program of Nanoscience & Technology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
Environ Res. 2023 Aug 15;231(Pt 2):116144. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116144. Epub 2023 May 16.
PM2.5 (particulate matter with a size of <2.5 μm) pollution has become a critical issue owing to its adverse health effects, including bronchitis, pneumonopathy, and cardiovascular diseases. Globally, around 8.9 million premature casualties related to exposure to PM2.5 were reported. Face masks are the only option that may restrict exposure to PM. In this study, a PM dust filter was developed via the electrospinning technique using the poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) biopolymer. Smooth and continuous fibers without beads were formed. The PHB membrane was further characterized, and the effects of the polymer solution concentration, applied voltage, and needle-to-collector distance were analyzed via the design of experiments technique, with three factors and three levels. The concentration of the polymer solution had the most significant effect on the fiber size and the porosity. The fiber diameter increased with increasing concentration, but decreases the porosity. The sample with a fiber diameter of ∼600 nm exhibited a higher PM filtration efficiency than the samples with a diameter of 900 nm, according to an ASTM F2299-based test. The PHB fiber mats fabricated at a concentration of 10%w/v, applied voltage of 15 kV, and needle tip-to-collector distance of 20 cm exhibited a high filtration efficiency of 95% and a pressure drop of <5 mmHO/cm. The tensile strength of the developed membranes ranged from 2.4 to 5.01 MPa, higher than those of the mask filters available in the market. Therefore, the prepared electrospun PHB fiber mats have great potential for the manufacture of PM filtration membranes.
PM2.5（粒径小于 2.5μm 的颗粒物）污染由于其对健康的不良影响，包括支气管炎、肺病变和心血管疾病，已成为一个关键问题。全球范围内，约有 890 万人因接触 PM2.5 而过早死亡。口罩是唯一可能限制 PM 暴露的选择。在这项研究中，通过静电纺丝技术使用聚（3-羟基丁酸酯）（PHB）生物聚合物开发了 PM 粉尘过滤器。形成了没有珠状的光滑连续纤维。进一步对 PHB 膜进行了表征，并通过三因素三水平的实验设计技术分析了聚合物溶液浓度、施加电压和针尖到收集器距离对纤维直径和孔隙率的影响。聚合物溶液的浓度对纤维直径和孔隙率的影响最大。纤维直径随浓度的增加而增加，但孔隙率降低。根据基于 ASTM F2299 的测试，直径约为 600nm 的纤维样品的 PM 过滤效率高于直径为 900nm 的纤维样品。在浓度为 10%w/v、施加电压为 15kV 和针尖到收集器距离为 20cm 的条件下制备的 PHB 纤维垫表现出 95%的高过滤效率和<5mmHO/cm 的压降。所制备的膜的拉伸强度范围为 2.4 至 5.01MPa，高于市场上可用的口罩过滤器。因此，所制备的静电纺 PHB 纤维垫在 PM 过滤膜的制造方面具有很大的潜力。
