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

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.