Fabrication and characterization of a novel konjac glucomannan-based air filtration aerogels strengthened by wheat straw and okara

Wang, Weiling; Fang, Ying; Ni, Xuewen; Wu, Kao; Wang, Yixin; Jiang, Fatang; Riffat, Saffa B.

Abstract

The konjac glucomannan (KGM)-based aerogel as an air filtration material was fabricated through sol-gel and freeze-drying methods. Results showed that gelatin and starch addition could increase the filtration efficiency and compressive strength of aerogel significantly, due to the appearance of more microporous structure and the formation of dense structure in aerogel. The addition of wheat straw could decrease the filtration resistance and increase the breathability of KGM-based aerogel, which was attributed to the multi-cavities of wheat straw. The aerogel with wheat straw had a filtration efficiency of 93.54% for particle matters ≥ 0.3 μm, a filtration resistance 29 Pa, and an air permeability 271.42 L/s·m2. Okara addition could increase the hydrophobicity of KGM-based aerogel by increasing the water contact angle and decreasing the equilibrium water content. The water contact angle of the aerogel containing okara reached 105.4°, and the equilibrium water content was decreased by 17.03%–81.10% compared with that without okara, with relative humidity 0%–80%. The results demonstrated that the KGM-based aerogel had good performance on filtration, mechanical and hydrophobic properties, indicating high potential application as an air filtration material.

Citation

Wang, W., Fang, Y., Ni, X., Wu, K., Wang, Y., Jiang, F., & Riffat, S. B. (2019). Fabrication and characterization of a novel konjac glucomannan-based air filtration aerogels strengthened by wheat straw and okara. Carbohydrate Polymers, 224, Article 115129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115129

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 25, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Aug 1, 2019
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Deposit Date: Nov 9, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 10, 2020
• Journal: Carbohydrate Polymers
• Print ISSN: 0144-8617
• Electronic ISSN: 1879-1344
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 224
• Article Number: 115129
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115129
• Keywords: Organic Chemistry; Materials Chemistry; Polymers and Plastics
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5031089
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0144861719307969
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Fabrication and characterization of a novel konjac glucomannan-based air filtration aerogels strengthened by wheat straw and okara; Journal Title: Carbohydrate Polymers; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115129; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.