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TiO2 nanoparticle-encapsulated polyacrylonitrile nanofibres as transparent air filters for indoor air quality


Affiliations
1 CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110 012, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad 201 002, India; School of Interdisciplinary Research, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110 016, India, India
2 CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110 012, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad 201 002, India, India
3 CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110 012, India, India
4 All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110 029, India, India
 

Rapid industrialization and urbanization have increa­sed air pollution, which poses a serious threat to human life. In megacities, the number of patients suffering from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases have increased rapidly. Face mask can be used for protection from outdoor air pollution, but indoor air quality can only be maintai­ned through expensive, energy-inefficient air filtration devices. In the present study, nanofibrous polyacrylonitrile (PAN) filters encapsulated with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles were developed using the electrospinning technique. The filters are porous and nearly transparent and therefore do not resist sunlight and airflow. Field testing of the PAN : TiO2 filters was done against the real aerosol particles and laboratory testing was done against ammonium sulphate particles. The field test results showed efficiency of about ~81% against total suspended aerosol particles (TSPM) and ~75% against laboratory generated particles. The TiO2 nanoparticles have been reported to kill the influenza virus and may help minimize an individual’s exposure to many harmful microbes due to their antimicrobial properties

Keywords

Air pollution, antimicrobial properties, electro-spinning technique, nanofibrous filters, nanoparticles.
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  • TiO2 nanoparticle-encapsulated polyacrylonitrile nanofibres as transparent air filters for indoor air quality

Abstract Views: 158  |  PDF Views: 72

Authors

Vikas Goel
CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110 012, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad 201 002, India; School of Interdisciplinary Research, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110 016, India, India
Sumit Kumar Mishra
CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110 012, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad 201 002, India, India
Ashish Gupta
CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110 012, India, India
Jai S. Tawale
CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110 012, India, India
Sanjay R. Dhakate
CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110 012, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad 201 002, India, India
Puneet Misra
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110 029, India, India

Abstract


Rapid industrialization and urbanization have increa­sed air pollution, which poses a serious threat to human life. In megacities, the number of patients suffering from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases have increased rapidly. Face mask can be used for protection from outdoor air pollution, but indoor air quality can only be maintai­ned through expensive, energy-inefficient air filtration devices. In the present study, nanofibrous polyacrylonitrile (PAN) filters encapsulated with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles were developed using the electrospinning technique. The filters are porous and nearly transparent and therefore do not resist sunlight and airflow. Field testing of the PAN : TiO2 filters was done against the real aerosol particles and laboratory testing was done against ammonium sulphate particles. The field test results showed efficiency of about ~81% against total suspended aerosol particles (TSPM) and ~75% against laboratory generated particles. The TiO2 nanoparticles have been reported to kill the influenza virus and may help minimize an individual’s exposure to many harmful microbes due to their antimicrobial properties

Keywords


Air pollution, antimicrobial properties, electro-spinning technique, nanofibrous filters, nanoparticles.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv123%2Fi12%2F1486-1492