Comparative analysis of surface modification spray depositions of electrospun nanofibers for antimicrobial air filtration

Abstract

Particulate matter is a global threat to human health. Air filtration seems like a promising method to eliminate this issue. This study utilises electrospinning to prepare the base filtration material and spraying techniques to functionalise the filtration material. Both methods were used to spray chitosan as an antimicrobial agent. Sonospraying and electrospraying deposit droplets of 10 μm and < 10 μm, respectively. Two types of electrospun mats, biodegradable polylactic acid and non-biodegradable polyurethane, were used as a base material for deposition. The results showed that the electrospraying is more suitable for applying chitosan onto nanofibers because the sonospraying technique formed a film-like structure, affecting the porous distribution of the fibre mats. Another finding was that the electrosprayed chitosan has a better affinity to polylactic acid, with a filtration effectivity 99.97 %. The antimicrobial activity test for this electrospray sample shows a strong antimicrobial effect, but the sonospraying technique showed insufficient results.