Sustainable biomass-based filter for high-efficiency PM0.3 filtration
Qingxiang Wang, Zhaoxuan Niu, Wanli Cheng, Ming Yang, Jie Yan, Jiqing Lu, Haijiao Yu, Yiying Yue, Yen Wei, Dong Wang, Shichao Zhang, Bin Ding, Guangping Han
Abstract
Biomass materials have been widely used in various industries to achieve a carbon-neutral and sustainable society. Here, we show a heterogeneous corn-based precursor strategy that transforms low-value agricultural waste into structural air filters composed of alternating microfibers (2.61 ± 1.11 µm) with grooved surface and nanofibers (0.29 ± 0.18 µm). Utilizing a green solute-solvent system of zein derived from corn and cellulose extracted from corn straw, the process ensures sustainability across raw material sources, fabrication, filtration, and end-of-life degradation. By tailoring relative humidity and incorporating cellulose, an incomplete nonsolvent-induced phase separation is triggered, leading to a corn-based dual-network filter with high filtration performance (>99.99% PM0.3 removal) and low pressure drop (45 Pa). The life cycle assessment demonstrates that the corn-based filter results in lower carbon emissions and environmental impacts than petroleum-based filters. This work provides a promising pathway toward the development of sustainable and disposable filtration materials. Biomass materials have been used in various industries to achieve a carbon-neutral and sustainable society. Here, the authors describe a heterogeneous corn-based precursor strategy, to self-assemble dual-network filters consisting of alternating fibers with micro- and nano-architectures and produce high performance structural filters.