Polystyrene/Polymethylhydrosiloxane Multiscale Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes for Air Filtration

Developing high-performance filtration materials is crucial for the effective removal of airborne particulate matter. However, balancing the filtration efficiency and pressure drop in these filtration materials and simultaneously achieving high efficiency and low resistance remain challenging. In this study, we observed that the addition of poly(methylhydrosiloxane) (PHMS) contributes to the refinement of PS fibers and can improve the hydrophobicity of the membrane. Therefore, PHMS-doped polystyrene (PS) multiscale nanofiber composite membranes were prepared by electrospinning, and their filtration performance was systematically investigated. By integrating fibers with diameters 62 and 430 nm, doped with 5 and 20% PHMS, respectively, a multiscale nanofibre membrane was constructed, which achieved high filtration efficiency (99.90% for PM0.3), low resistance (pressure drop 63 Pa), and a quality factor of 0.0893 Pa-1. After 10 filtration cycles, the membrane sustained 99% efficiency, surpassing that of commercial filters in terms of long-term filtration performance. The filtration efficiency and pressure drop of the multiscale nanofiber membrane were simulated by establishing an airflow field, and the simulation results confirmed the excellent filtration performance. The present study introduces an innovative methodology for fabricating high-efficiency and low-resistance nanofibers as air filtration materials.