Multifunctional Photoactive Janus Nanofibrous Membranes for Unidirectional Water Transport and Remediation of Airborne Pathogens and Pollutants

Abstract

Airborne pathogens and pollution control typically necessitate multiple membranes, each specializing in efficient aerosol filtration, moisture regulation, or antimicrobial protection. Integrating all these functions into a single membrane is highly advantageous but remains inherently challenging due to material incompatibility and inevitable performance trade-offs. Here, we present a photoactive Janus nanofibrous membrane for highly efficient air purification, engineered via sequential electrospinning. This asymmetric membrane features a biomimetic cactus spine and pollen structures formed within a hydrophilic biopolymer matrix with the embedding of nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) on one side and hydrophobic microchannels on the other, together creating interfacial chemical gradients that drive unidirectional water transport. The nanofibrous membranes exhibit simultaneous size-exclusion sieving and electrostatic capture through quantum-confined charge polarization, achieving over 99.59% retention of PM 0.3 aerosols. Under UV activation, the N-CQDs generate tunable reactive oxygen species, enabling contact-free pathogen inactivation, which is further enhanced by water-mediated destabilization of microbial cell membranes, resulting in a 6-log (99.9999%) reduction of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria within 30 min. The membranes demonstrate exceptional operational durability, retaining 98.5% filtration efficiency after 10 working cycles, outperforming conventional membranes susceptible to water moisture-induced degradation. This work presents a versatile platform for advanced multifunctional air purification membranes, enabling a wide range of applications spanning biomedical isolation gowns, smart ventilation systems, and reusable respiratory devices.

Topics & Concepts