Abstract:

Epidemiological studies of the effect of harmful nanoparticles on the human body prove that efficient protective measures need to be developed. This applies, in particular, to respiratory protection equipment in which filtration nonwovens are the essential structural material. This paper discusses a method for improving the efficiency of electret filtration nonwovens for nanoparticles by using polypropylene (PP) admixed with additives with varying electrostatic potentials. The investigation was carried out using amber (negative charge) and perlite beads (positive charge) incorporated into the polymer stream using melt-blown technology. Filtration efficiency was evaluated using standard methods with paraffin oil mist and sodium chloride aerosol and non-standard methods with nanoparticles. The studies proved that strengthened electrostatic interaction effects owing to the modifiers provide a promising method for improving the efficiency of electret nonwovens against nanoparticles.