Impact of common face mask regeneration processes on the structure, morphology and aerosol filtration efficiency of porous flat sheet polysulfone membranes fabricated via nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS)

Ebuka A. Ogbuoji; Anastasia Myers; Amber Haycraft; Isabel C. Escobar

doi:10.1016/j.seppur.2023.124594

Impact of common face mask regeneration processes on the structure, morphology and aerosol filtration efficiency of porous flat sheet polysulfone membranes fabricated via nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS)

Ebuka A. Ogbuoji, Anastasia Myers, Amber Haycraft, Isabel C. Escobar

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The potential of flat sheet polymeric membranes as a sustainable solution for reusable facemask filters was investigated by analyzing the effect of common face mask regeneration processes on polysulfone (PSf) membranes’ structure, morphology, and aerosol filtration efficiency. The impact of regeneration processes, such as isopropanol (IPA), detergent and bleach washes, and ultraviolet light exposure, was for the first time compared between surgical masks, N95 masks and flat sheet PSf membranes. The PSf membranes were fabricated via non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS), and demonstrated a higher particulate filtration efficiency (99.06 ± 1.38%) for PM_0.3 i.e., particulate matter of 0.3 µm aerodynamic diameter compared to surgical mask (70.93 ± 2.82%) and N95 (N95-1: 97.09 ± 7.37%; N95-2: 91.46 ± 1.45%). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed no significant changes in morphology of treated membrane pores. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), contact angle goniometry, and Xray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses revealed retained membrane surface composition, hydrophobicity, and showed no residual elements from sterilizing chemicals after rinsing for 30 min. Statistically insignificant differences in treated and untreated PSf membrane pore size, porosity, and mechanical strength obtained in this work suggest the absence of chain scission due to radical formation, which can arise from polymer chains exposure to UV and bleach (NaClO), and change in polymer chain conformation. Treatment with IPA and detergent, which resulted in 46.7 ± 5.5% and 64.3 ± 12.9 % reduction of 0.3 µm aerosol filtration efficiency, respectively, for commercially available face masks, showed an insignificant decrease in PSf membrane filtration performance, which was attributed to dissipation of electrostatic charges responsible for the high filtration efficiency of non-woven face masks.

Original language	English
Article number	124594
Journal	Separation and Purification Technology
Volume	324
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2023.124594
State	Published - Nov 1 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Cooperative Agreement (grant number 1849213 ), by the NSF KY EPSCoR Program. All imaging was possible thanks to Kentucky IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (KY-INBRE) grant P20GM103436.

Funding Information:
This research was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Cooperative Agreement (grant number 1849213), by the NSF KY EPSCoR Program. All imaging was possible thanks to Kentucky IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (KY-INBRE) grant P20GM103436.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

Aerosol capture
Air filtration
Flat sheet
Membranes
NIPS
Polysulfone

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Analytical Chemistry
Filtration and Separation

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Ogbuoji, E. A., Myers, A., Haycraft, A., & Escobar, I. C. (2023). Impact of common face mask regeneration processes on the structure, morphology and aerosol filtration efficiency of porous flat sheet polysulfone membranes fabricated via nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS). Separation and Purification Technology, 324, Article 124594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2023.124594

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abstract = "The potential of flat sheet polymeric membranes as a sustainable solution for reusable facemask filters was investigated by analyzing the effect of common face mask regeneration processes on polysulfone (PSf) membranes{\textquoteright} structure, morphology, and aerosol filtration efficiency. The impact of regeneration processes, such as isopropanol (IPA), detergent and bleach washes, and ultraviolet light exposure, was for the first time compared between surgical masks, N95 masks and flat sheet PSf membranes. The PSf membranes were fabricated via non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS), and demonstrated a higher particulate filtration efficiency (99.06 ± 1.38%) for PM0.3 i.e., particulate matter of 0.3 µm aerodynamic diameter compared to surgical mask (70.93 ± 2.82%) and N95 (N95-1: 97.09 ± 7.37%; N95-2: 91.46 ± 1.45%). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed no significant changes in morphology of treated membrane pores. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), contact angle goniometry, and Xray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses revealed retained membrane surface composition, hydrophobicity, and showed no residual elements from sterilizing chemicals after rinsing for 30 min. Statistically insignificant differences in treated and untreated PSf membrane pore size, porosity, and mechanical strength obtained in this work suggest the absence of chain scission due to radical formation, which can arise from polymer chains exposure to UV and bleach (NaClO), and change in polymer chain conformation. Treatment with IPA and detergent, which resulted in 46.7 ± 5.5% and 64.3 ± 12.9 % reduction of 0.3 µm aerosol filtration efficiency, respectively, for commercially available face masks, showed an insignificant decrease in PSf membrane filtration performance, which was attributed to dissipation of electrostatic charges responsible for the high filtration efficiency of non-woven face masks.",

keywords = "Aerosol capture, Air filtration, Flat sheet, Membranes, NIPS, Polysulfone",

author = "Ogbuoji, {Ebuka A.} and Anastasia Myers and Amber Haycraft and Escobar, {Isabel C.}",

note = "Funding Information: This research was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Cooperative Agreement (grant number 1849213 ), by the NSF KY EPSCoR Program. All imaging was possible thanks to Kentucky IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (KY-INBRE) grant P20GM103436. Funding Information: This research was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Cooperative Agreement (grant number 1849213), by the NSF KY EPSCoR Program. All imaging was possible thanks to Kentucky IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (KY-INBRE) grant P20GM103436. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 Elsevier B.V.",

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doi = "10.1016/j.seppur.2023.124594",

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Ogbuoji, EA, Myers, A, Haycraft, A & Escobar, IC 2023, 'Impact of common face mask regeneration processes on the structure, morphology and aerosol filtration efficiency of porous flat sheet polysulfone membranes fabricated via nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS)', Separation and Purification Technology, vol. 324, 124594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2023.124594

Impact of common face mask regeneration processes on the structure, morphology and aerosol filtration efficiency of porous flat sheet polysulfone membranes fabricated via nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS). / Ogbuoji, Ebuka A.; Myers, Anastasia; Haycraft, Amber et al.
In: Separation and Purification Technology, Vol. 324, 124594, 01.11.2023.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of common face mask regeneration processes on the structure, morphology and aerosol filtration efficiency of porous flat sheet polysulfone membranes fabricated via nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS)

AU - Ogbuoji, Ebuka A.

AU - Myers, Anastasia

AU - Haycraft, Amber

AU - Escobar, Isabel C.

N1 - Funding Information: This research was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Cooperative Agreement (grant number 1849213 ), by the NSF KY EPSCoR Program. All imaging was possible thanks to Kentucky IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (KY-INBRE) grant P20GM103436. Funding Information: This research was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Cooperative Agreement (grant number 1849213), by the NSF KY EPSCoR Program. All imaging was possible thanks to Kentucky IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (KY-INBRE) grant P20GM103436. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

PY - 2023/11/1

Y1 - 2023/11/1

N2 - The potential of flat sheet polymeric membranes as a sustainable solution for reusable facemask filters was investigated by analyzing the effect of common face mask regeneration processes on polysulfone (PSf) membranes’ structure, morphology, and aerosol filtration efficiency. The impact of regeneration processes, such as isopropanol (IPA), detergent and bleach washes, and ultraviolet light exposure, was for the first time compared between surgical masks, N95 masks and flat sheet PSf membranes. The PSf membranes were fabricated via non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS), and demonstrated a higher particulate filtration efficiency (99.06 ± 1.38%) for PM0.3 i.e., particulate matter of 0.3 µm aerodynamic diameter compared to surgical mask (70.93 ± 2.82%) and N95 (N95-1: 97.09 ± 7.37%; N95-2: 91.46 ± 1.45%). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed no significant changes in morphology of treated membrane pores. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), contact angle goniometry, and Xray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses revealed retained membrane surface composition, hydrophobicity, and showed no residual elements from sterilizing chemicals after rinsing for 30 min. Statistically insignificant differences in treated and untreated PSf membrane pore size, porosity, and mechanical strength obtained in this work suggest the absence of chain scission due to radical formation, which can arise from polymer chains exposure to UV and bleach (NaClO), and change in polymer chain conformation. Treatment with IPA and detergent, which resulted in 46.7 ± 5.5% and 64.3 ± 12.9 % reduction of 0.3 µm aerosol filtration efficiency, respectively, for commercially available face masks, showed an insignificant decrease in PSf membrane filtration performance, which was attributed to dissipation of electrostatic charges responsible for the high filtration efficiency of non-woven face masks.

AB - The potential of flat sheet polymeric membranes as a sustainable solution for reusable facemask filters was investigated by analyzing the effect of common face mask regeneration processes on polysulfone (PSf) membranes’ structure, morphology, and aerosol filtration efficiency. The impact of regeneration processes, such as isopropanol (IPA), detergent and bleach washes, and ultraviolet light exposure, was for the first time compared between surgical masks, N95 masks and flat sheet PSf membranes. The PSf membranes were fabricated via non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS), and demonstrated a higher particulate filtration efficiency (99.06 ± 1.38%) for PM0.3 i.e., particulate matter of 0.3 µm aerodynamic diameter compared to surgical mask (70.93 ± 2.82%) and N95 (N95-1: 97.09 ± 7.37%; N95-2: 91.46 ± 1.45%). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed no significant changes in morphology of treated membrane pores. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), contact angle goniometry, and Xray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses revealed retained membrane surface composition, hydrophobicity, and showed no residual elements from sterilizing chemicals after rinsing for 30 min. Statistically insignificant differences in treated and untreated PSf membrane pore size, porosity, and mechanical strength obtained in this work suggest the absence of chain scission due to radical formation, which can arise from polymer chains exposure to UV and bleach (NaClO), and change in polymer chain conformation. Treatment with IPA and detergent, which resulted in 46.7 ± 5.5% and 64.3 ± 12.9 % reduction of 0.3 µm aerosol filtration efficiency, respectively, for commercially available face masks, showed an insignificant decrease in PSf membrane filtration performance, which was attributed to dissipation of electrostatic charges responsible for the high filtration efficiency of non-woven face masks.

KW - Aerosol capture

KW - Air filtration

KW - Flat sheet

KW - Membranes

KW - NIPS

KW - Polysulfone

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DO - 10.1016/j.seppur.2023.124594

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SN - 1383-5866

VL - 324

JO - Separation and Purification Technology

JF - Separation and Purification Technology

M1 - 124594

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Impact of common face mask regeneration processes on the structure, morphology and aerosol filtration efficiency of porous flat sheet polysulfone membranes fabricated via nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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