Filtration of airborne nanoparticles using nanofibers

纳米纤维是包括能源、环境和医疗保健在内的许多行业的通用平台。例如，燃料处理、空气净化和从血液中分离癌细胞。在接下来的五年里，我的NSERC发现补助金(DG)将用于支持纳米纤维的基础研究项目，以分离空气中的纳米颗粒。我已经建立了一个用于过滤和分离的纳米纤维研究项目。过滤是最常用的空气净化方法。它的应用包括呼吸保护、燃烧废气的空气净化、核危险材料的处理、建筑物的清洁空气供应和洁净室。纳米纤维具有较高的过滤效率和较低的气流阻力，是一种很有前途的过滤材料。随着人们对节能和清洁空气的需求日益增长，纳米纤维过滤的研究引起了人们的极大兴趣。尽管纳米纤维过滤的潜力很大，但大多数研究都是使用微米尺寸的气溶胶颗粒进行的，关于纳米气溶胶颗粒过滤的数据非常有限。纳米气溶胶粒子由于其独特的物理性质，包括其尺寸、比表面积、密度、形态、扩散率、机械常数、刚性、荷电能力、空气动力学等，其行为方式与微尺度粒子不同。关于纳米气溶胶粒子与纳米纤维之间的相互作用的信息尤其缺乏。 该研究计划的长期目标是创造基于纳米纤维的过滤和分离技术的新知识，并通过该研究计划培训HQP。在接下来的5年里，计划的研究重点是了解纳米气溶胶-纳米纤维的界面力学，以及静电纺丝制备纳米纤维背后的机理。我的研究计划将采用分析和实验相结合的方法，结合分子动力学建模。有关纳米气溶胶表征和过滤的理论分析将通过实验数据得到验证。这项研究计划将极大地提高对纳米气溶胶动力学及其对相关仪器和空气净化技术发展的影响的理解。纳米气溶胶颗粒过滤和测量方面的新知识将使行业、政府机构和政策制定者在其业务、运营和决策过程中做出基于知识的决策。 在接下来的5年里，至少有42名学生将得到这笔探索助学金的支持。更多的人将通过与探索计划密切相关的其他研究资金进行培训。这些HQP将成为加拿大清洁技术行业、尖端研究项目和教育领域劳动力的重要组成部分。

Nanofiber is a versatile platform for many industries including energy, environment, and health care. Examples include fuel processing, air cleaning, and separation of cancer cells from blood. For the next five years, my NSERC Discovery Grant (DG) will be used to support fundamental research program in nanofiber for the separation of airborne nanoparticles. I have established a research program in nanofiber for filtration and separations. Filtration is the most commonly applied method for air purification. Its applications include respiratory protection, air cleaning for combustion effluents, processing of nuclear hazardous material, clean air supply to buildings, and clean rooms. Nanofiber is a promising filter medium that possesses superior filtration efficiency and low resistance to air flow. With the growing demand in energy saving and clean air, there has been a great interest in the research in nanofiber filtration. Despite the great potential of nanofiber filtration, most research has been conducted using microsized aerosol particles and very limited data is available for the filtration of nanoaerosol particles. Nanoaerosol particles behave differently than microsized particles because of their unique physical properties, including their size, surface area, density, morphology, diffusivity, mechanical constant, rigidity, electrical charging capability, aerodynamics, etc. Information about the interaction between nanoaerosol particles and nanofibers is especially absent. The long-term goal of the research program aims at the creation of new knowledge in nanofiber-based filtration and separation technologies, and the training of HQP through the research program. For the coming 5 years, the proposed research program is centered on understanding the nanoaerosol-nanofiber interfacial mechanics, and the mechanisms behind nanofiber fabrication by electrospinning. The approach to my research program will be analytical and experimental, in combination with molecular dynamics modeling. Theoretical analyses on nanoaerosol characterization and filtration will be validated by experimental data. This research program will greatly improve the understanding of nanoaerosol dynamics and its implications on the development of related instrumentation and air cleaning technologies. New knowledge in nanoaerosol particle filtration and measurement will allow industry, government agencies, policy makers make knowledge based decisions in their business, operation, decision making. In the coming 5 years, at least 42 students will be supported by this Discovery grant. More will be trained through other research funding that is closely related to the Discovery program. These HQP will become an important part of the Canadian workforce in cleantech industry, cutting edge research program and education.