Publication

Abstract : Recently, nano and microfibrous air filters have been developed using numerous technologies. Electrospinning technique is a promising approach for the fabrication of nanofibrous air filters. The interconnected nanofibrous structure, interconnected nano and microporous architecture and high specific surface area of electrospun membrane present a versatile platform for air filtration by both size exclusion and surface adsorption mechanisms. This specific architecture coupled with the incorporation of active functional additives will manipulate surface properties at nanoscale level and can enhance the filtration efficiency to 95–99.99%*** on PM2.5*** and with an excellent quality factor of 0.05–0.1***. This review is specifically focused on the recent studies on the fabrication strategies of functionalized electrospun nanofibrous air filters. Detailed discussions have been provided about various strategies of manipulation of the surface chemistry of the air filter to attain specific functional properties in filtration of PM size ranging from 3 to 5µm***. Furthermore, this review discusses how the electrospun membranes can effectively tackle the specific filtration of bacteria/virus up to 99.99%*** and enhance the selective adsorption of volatile organic solvents. The review concludes with an overview of the challenges associated with the practical application of electrospun membranes and prospects for the future.