Electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofiber membranes for air filtration application

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber membranes of varied thicknesses (20–100 µm) were electrospun at a polymer concentration 14% (w/v) in N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF); characterized for porosity, pressure drop, air permeability and particle filtration efficiency (PFE). Densities are found very less (0.11 to 0.21 g/cm3), with porosities the range 80–92%, higher porosity was thickness. Membranes used measure which thicker due torturous path encountered by air. Air decreased increasing thickness same reason. The PFE thin samples lower cushion effect. 20-µm-thick achieved highest > 99.7% clearing 0.3 µm particles. Above experiments suggested that PAN prepared this study could be face mask addition non-woven fabrics.