Comparative Investigation of Electrospun and Centrifugal Spun Polylactic Acid for Filtration Performance and Reusability

Abstract

The current study compares two methods of producing nanofiber filters using a well-known biodegradable polymer, e.g., polylactic acid (PLA): centrifugal spinning and electrospinning. Both centrifugal spinning and electrospinning techniques successfully yielded submicron fibers capable of filtering close to 99% of 0.3 μm NaCl particles; however, current investigation revealed that the centrifugal spun PLA filters yielded a wider distribution of diameters within a mat, which proved beneficial in achieving a significantly lower pressure drop of 200 Pa or less. The quality factor of CS samples is consistently higher than ES samples at comparable aerial mass or mean fiber diameter. What sets CS PLA filters further apart is their remarkable reusability; filter performance through 10 cycles of either isopropyl alcohol spraying or ethanol dipping yielded retention of filtration efficiency ≥95% while maintaining pressure drop in 270 Pa or lower, comfortably conforming to NIOSH N95 standard after treatment. This is in contrast to ES samples which yielded a pressure drop above 343 Pa after 10 cycles of spraying or dipping. The quality factor, filtration efficiency, and pressure drop of CS PLA are collectively comparable or better than most existing nanofiber-based filters while being comparable to meltblown N95 with an added benefit of reusability. By mitigating the challenges associated with single-use filters, such as waste management concerns, these filters can pave the way for a sustainable future in the field of PPE.

Biobased Triesters as Plasticizers for Improved Mechanical and Biodegradable Performance of Polylactic Acid Fibrous Membranes as Facemask Materials

“…For example, at the flow rate of 340 cm/min, the pressure drops for pure PLA, PLA-7%GT, and PLA-7%TC were recorded at 130.76, 235.36, and 330.16 Pa, respectively. However, the pressure drop values are still lower than the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standard for N95 facemask filter media …”

Optimization of the Centrifugal Spinning Parameters to Prepare Poly(butylene succinate) Nanofibers Mats for Aerosol Filter Applications

“…Table 6 compares the filtration efficiency, pressure drop, and quality factor for PM 0.3 in PBS filter media to other works. Venkataraman et al [30] synthesized PLA filter membranes using the CS with QF 0.044 Pa −1 , Li et al [58] produced Chitosan/PLA nanofiber using the electrospinning with QF 0.031 Pa −1 , and Wang et al [55] developed PLA nanofiber by electrospinning with QF 0.064 Pa −1 , PBS filter showed lower performance. The PBS filter was on par with or better than other filter materials, e.g., 0.11 Pa −1 for gelatin [44], 0.042 Pa −1 for zein [59], and 0.010 Pa −1 for cellulose acetate [60].…”

“…As long as the viscosity is appropriate, it still provides good productivity with low price [22,23]. A variety of polymers, such as poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) [24], poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN) [25], polystyrene (PS) [26,27], poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) [28], poly(lactide) (PLA) [29,30], poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) [31], poly(εcaprolactone) (PCL) [32], poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) [33], (poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) [34], poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) [35], poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) [36], polyamide 6 (PA6) [37], polyurethane (PU) [38], polyamic acid (PAA) [39], hyaluronic acid (HA) [40], chitosan [41], lignin [42], silk fibroin [43] and gelatin [44] are fabricated by CS method. Fiber manufacturing using the CS technique with a PBS polymer has not been studied.…”