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Triboelectric nanogenerator enhanced multilayered antibacterial nanofiber air filters for efficient removal of ultrafine particulate matter

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Abstract

We developed a high-efficiency rotating triboelectric nanogenerator (R-TENG)-enhanced multilayered antibacterial polyimide (PI) nanofiber air filters for removing ultrafine particulate matter (PM) from ambient atmosphere. Compared to single-layered PI nanofiber filters, the multilayered nanofiber filter can completely remove all of the particles with diameters larger than 0.54 μm and shows enhanced removal efficiency for smaller PM particles. After connecting with aR-TENG, the removal efficiency of the filer for ultrafine particles is further enhanced. The highest removal efficiency for ultrafine particulate matter is 94.1% at the diameter of 53.3 nm and the average removal efficiency reached 89.9%. Despite an increase in the layer number, the thickness of each individual layer of the film decreased, and hence, the total pressure drop of the filter decreased instead of increasing. Moreover, the nanofiber film exhibited high antibacterial activity because of the addition of a small amount of silver nanoparticles. This technology with zero ozone release and low pressure drop is appropriate for cleaning air, haze treatment, and bacterial control.

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Acknowledgements

Supports from the “thousands talents” program for the pioneer researcher and his innovation team, the National Key R & D Project from Ministry of Science and Technology (No. 2016YFA0202704), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51432005, 51608039, 5151101243, 51561145021, 51702018, and 51505457), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2015M581041), Natural Science Foundation of Beijing, China (No. 4154090), and Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission (No. Z171100000317001) are appreciated.

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  1. Guang Qin Gu, Chang Bao Han, and Jing Jing Tian contribute equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China

    Guang Qin Gu, Chang Bao Han, Jing Jing Tian, Tao Jiang, Chuan He, Cun Xin Lu, Yu Bai, Jin Hui Nie, Zhou Li & Zhong Lin Wang

  2. School of Nanoscience and Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Guang Qin Gu, Chang Bao Han, Jing Jing Tian, Tao Jiang, Chuan He, Cun Xin Lu, Yu Bai, Jin Hui Nie, Zhou Li & Zhong Lin Wang

  3. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0245, USA

    Zhong Lin Wang

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  1. Guang Qin Gu
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Correspondence to Zhou Li or Zhong Lin Wang.

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Triboelectric nanogenerator enhanced multilayered antibacterial nanofiber air filters for efficient removal of ultrafine particulate matter

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Gu, G.Q., Han, C.B., Tian, J.J. et al. Triboelectric nanogenerator enhanced multilayered antibacterial nanofiber air filters for efficient removal of ultrafine particulate matter. Nano Res. 11, 4090–4101 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-018-1992-1

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