Air filter media functionalized with β‐Cyclodextrin for efficient adsorption of volatile organic compounds.

Abstract

Respiratory air filter media invariably comprise a nonwoven textile fabric. The limitation of the existing fibrous air filter medium is negligible protection against hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In this study, the filter media was cross-linked with β-Cyclodextrin for the surface functionalization. The VOC adsorption performance of the functional fabric was explored for styrene, benzene, and formaldehyde and also compared with a commercial nonwoven face mask. The functionalized fabric performed much better than commercial masks with adsorption capabilities of 18.80 μg mg−1 (for xylene), 14.75 μg mg−1 (for benzene), and 0.06 μg mg−1 (for formaldehyde). Further, the cross-linking did not affect the air permeability (204 cm3 cm−2 s−1) thus showing no resistance to breathing. β-Cyclodextrin functionalized textiles can be promising respiratory air filter media having the potential to capture a variety of VOCs yet remain breathable.