Polyacrylonitrile/UV329/titanium oxide composite nanofibrous membranes with enhanced UV protection and filtration performance

Abstract

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is extremely dangerous to humans and can contribute to immunosuppression, erythema, early ageing and skin cancer. UV protection finishing may greatly influence the handling and permeability of fabrics, while UV-proof fibres can guarantee close contact between UV-resistant agents and fabric without affecting the handling of the fabric. In this study, polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/UV absorber 329 (UV329)/titanium dioxide (TiO₂) composite nanofibrous membranes with complex, highly efficient UV resistance were fabricated via electrospinning. UV329 was included in the composite to further strengthen the UV resistance properties via absorption function, while TiO₂ inorganic nanoparticles were added to provide UV shielding function. The presence of UV329 and TiO₂ in the membranes was confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, which also showed the absence of chemical bonds between PAN and the anti-UV agents. The PAN/UV329/TiO₂ membranes exhibited a UV protection factor of 1352 and a UVA transmittance of 0.6%, which indicate their extraordinary UV resistance properties. Additionally, filtration performance was investigated in order to expand the application field of the UV-resistant PAN/UV329/TiO₂ membranes, and the composite nanofibrous membranes showed a UV filtration efficiency of 99.57% and a pressure drop of 145 Pa. The proposed multi-functional nanofibrous membranes have broad application prospects in outdoor protective clothing and window air filters.