Particulate matter (PM) from ever-increasing industrialization poses a great public health risk. Although fiber-based filters are used effectively to block PM, filters with high packing densities suffer from excessive pressure drops. Electret filters bypass intermediate-or large-sized particles and thus capture only small particles, the motion of which can be influenced by weak electrostatic fields. In this study, we demonstrate the fabrication of metallized fibers that produce intense electric fields, thereby enabling capture of PMs of a variety of sizes produced by burning incense. The filter consisting of these metallized fibers effectively removes moving particles from air. An electricity-driven filter is relatively thin and has a low packing density, making it light, portable, transparent, and inexpensive. The sizes of the pores between the metallized fibers are readily controlled by manipulating the electrospinning and electroplating times. Sufficiently large pores permit efficient airflow and thus increase permeability without risking an excessive pressure drop. The metallized fiber filter is washable and thus reusable. In this study, a PM removal rate of >97% was recorded using a filter designed under optimal conditions.

Air-quality control remains a major environmental concern as polluted air is a threat to public safety and health in major industrialized cities. To filter pollutants, fibrous filters employing electrostatic attraction have been widely used. However, such air filters suffer from some major disadvantages, including low recyclability and a significant pressure drop owing to clogging and a high packing density. Herein, we developed ionization-assisted electrostatic air filters consisting of nonwoven nanofibers. Ionization of particulate matter (PM) using air ionization enhanced the electrostatic attraction, thereby promoting efficient filtration. Metallization of the fibers facilitated strong electrical attraction and the consequent capture of PM of various sizes. The low packing density of the metallized fibers also facilitated efficient filtration of the PM, even at low driving pressures, which in turn reduced the energy consumption of the air-filtration device.

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