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 cm 3 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.