Fabrication of gelatin nanofiber webs via centrifugal spinning for N95 respiratory filters

Abstract

Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the usage of numerous protective face masks has faced an explosion in demand around the world. Therefore, the need to reduce the environmental pollution caused by disposable single-use face masks has become vital. Recently, alternative raw material solutions have been discussed to eliminate the consumption of single-use plastics. Within this research, gelatin nanofibers were fabricated via centrifugal spinning technique, and filtration media were investigated in terms of air permeability and filtration efficiency. In addition, morphological properties were examined with scanning electron microscopy. Fabricated fibers have a changing average diameter range from 232 to 778 nm, and targeted 95% filtration efficiency was achieved in several compositions. It was proven that biodegradable gelatin nanofibers could be a sustainable alternative for disposable N95 respiratory filters.