Fabrication of Functional Polyurethane/Rare Earth Nanocomposite Membranes by Electrospinning and Its VOCs Absorption Capacity from Air
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a source of air pollution and are harmful to both human health and the environment. In this study, we fabricated polyurethane/rare earth (PU/RE) composite nanofibrous membranes via electrospinning with the aim of removing VOCs from air. The morphological structu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-03-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/7/3/60 |
| _version_ | 1819240960127664128 |
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| author | Jun Cong Ge Nag Jung Choi |
| author_facet | Jun Cong Ge Nag Jung Choi |
| author_sort | Jun Cong Ge |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a source of air pollution and are harmful to both human health and the environment. In this study, we fabricated polyurethane/rare earth (PU/RE) composite nanofibrous membranes via electrospinning with the aim of removing VOCs from air. The morphological structure of PU/RE nanofibrous mats was investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) experimental analyses. A certain amount of RE (up to 50 wt. % compared to PU pellets) nanoparticles (NPs) could be loaded on/into PU fibers. The tensile strength of PU/RE nanofibrous membranes decreased slightly with the increasing RE powder content. The PU nanofiber containing 50 wt. % RE powder had the smallest fiber diameter of 356 nm; it also showed the highest VOC absorption capacity compared with other composite membranes, having an absorption capacity about three times greater than pure PU nanofibers. In addition, all of the PU/RE nanofibrous membranes readily absorbed styrene the most, followed by xylene, toluene, benzene and chloroform. Therefore, the PU/RE nanofibrous membrane can play an important role in removing VOCs from the air, and its development prospects are impressive because they are emerging materials. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T14:16:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c26af47e44184892be3646bdb582cb86 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T14:16:19Z |
| publishDate | 2017-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-c26af47e44184892be3646bdb582cb862022-12-21T17:43:54ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912017-03-01736010.3390/nano7030060nano7030060Fabrication of Functional Polyurethane/Rare Earth Nanocomposite Membranes by Electrospinning and Its VOCs Absorption Capacity from AirJun Cong Ge0Nag Jung Choi1Division of Mechanical Design Engineering, Chonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Jeonjusi 561-756, Jeollabuk-do, KoreaDivision of Mechanical Design Engineering, Chonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Jeonjusi 561-756, Jeollabuk-do, KoreaVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a source of air pollution and are harmful to both human health and the environment. In this study, we fabricated polyurethane/rare earth (PU/RE) composite nanofibrous membranes via electrospinning with the aim of removing VOCs from air. The morphological structure of PU/RE nanofibrous mats was investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) experimental analyses. A certain amount of RE (up to 50 wt. % compared to PU pellets) nanoparticles (NPs) could be loaded on/into PU fibers. The tensile strength of PU/RE nanofibrous membranes decreased slightly with the increasing RE powder content. The PU nanofiber containing 50 wt. % RE powder had the smallest fiber diameter of 356 nm; it also showed the highest VOC absorption capacity compared with other composite membranes, having an absorption capacity about three times greater than pure PU nanofibers. In addition, all of the PU/RE nanofibrous membranes readily absorbed styrene the most, followed by xylene, toluene, benzene and chloroform. Therefore, the PU/RE nanofibrous membrane can play an important role in removing VOCs from the air, and its development prospects are impressive because they are emerging materials.http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/7/3/60electrospinningpolyurethanerare earthnanocompositesVOCs |
| spellingShingle | Jun Cong Ge Nag Jung Choi Fabrication of Functional Polyurethane/Rare Earth Nanocomposite Membranes by Electrospinning and Its VOCs Absorption Capacity from Air Nanomaterials electrospinning polyurethane rare earth nanocomposites VOCs |
| title | Fabrication of Functional Polyurethane/Rare Earth Nanocomposite Membranes by Electrospinning and Its VOCs Absorption Capacity from Air |
| title_full | Fabrication of Functional Polyurethane/Rare Earth Nanocomposite Membranes by Electrospinning and Its VOCs Absorption Capacity from Air |
| title_fullStr | Fabrication of Functional Polyurethane/Rare Earth Nanocomposite Membranes by Electrospinning and Its VOCs Absorption Capacity from Air |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fabrication of Functional Polyurethane/Rare Earth Nanocomposite Membranes by Electrospinning and Its VOCs Absorption Capacity from Air |
| title_short | Fabrication of Functional Polyurethane/Rare Earth Nanocomposite Membranes by Electrospinning and Its VOCs Absorption Capacity from Air |
| title_sort | fabrication of functional polyurethane rare earth nanocomposite membranes by electrospinning and its vocs absorption capacity from air |
| topic | electrospinning polyurethane rare earth nanocomposites VOCs |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/7/3/60 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT juncongge fabricationoffunctionalpolyurethanerareearthnanocompositemembranesbyelectrospinninganditsvocsabsorptioncapacityfromair AT nagjungchoi fabricationoffunctionalpolyurethanerareearthnanocompositemembranesbyelectrospinninganditsvocsabsorptioncapacityfromair |