Research on topological effect of natural small molecule and high–performance antibacterial air filtration application by electrospinning

The application of natural small molecule (NSM) in electrospun fibers is the key to achieving powerful functionality and sustainable development. However, the lack of understanding regarding the mechanism for loading NSM hinders the advancement of high–performance functional fibers. This work clarified the loading mechanism of NSM in polymer solution by comparing the different behaviors of curcumin (Cur), phloretin (PL), and tea polyphenols (TP) blended ethyl cellulose (EC) solutions. We found that TP may lead to the folding of polymer chains due to its strongest hydrogen bond, which in turn promoted the dispersion of TP along the polymer chain. Therefore, TP could achieve good electrospinnability at the highest loading capacity (16 times the Cur and 4 times the PL). Finally, chitosan was introduced into EC/TP to prepare tree–like nanofibers, achieving high–performance antibacterial air filtration. The filtration efficiency for 0.3 μm NaCl particles, pressure drop, and quality factor were 99.991 %, 85.5 Pa, and 0.1089 Pa−1, respectively. The bacteriostatic rates against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were all 99.99 %. This work will promote the application of NSM and the developments of multifunctional electrospun fibers and high–performance air filters.