Biobased Polyester Nanofiber Membranes with Conductive Polymer Reinforcement for High-Efficiency Antibacterial Air Filtration

Abstract

A ternary copolymerized polyester, poly(propylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate)-block-polytetrahydrofuran (PTFMG), exclusively sourced from renewable biomass, is successfully synthesized via a direct esterification approach. Utilizing electrospinning, uniform PTFMG nanofiber membranes are fabricated with remarkable mechanical properties, exhibiting an impressive elongation at break of 359%. Furthermore, a conductive polymer, poly(N,N-dimethyl-Nethylammonium) propyl naphthalene diimide (PNDI-N), is doped into PTFMG to prepare PNDI-N/PTFMG composite nanofiber membranes, which reveal eminent filtration performance and antibacterial properties. The optimized composite membranes demonstrate a high surface potential of 12.7 kV and achieve an outstanding filtration efficiency of 99.97% against particulate matter. Notably, the membranes maintained stable filtration performance under rigorous conditions, including repeated recycling tests and high-humidity environments. Additionally, the integration of PNDI-N endows the membranes with remarkable antibacterial properties, demonstrating a 99.99% inhibition rate against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Microscopic analysis reveals that bacterial cells are not only effectively captured by the fiber network but also subsequently inactivated. This study presents an approach for designing high-performance, multifunctional air filtration systems using sustainable and environmentally friendly materials. The findings offer promising avenues for the development of next-generation air purification technologies.