Ambient Air Purification by Nanotechnologies: From Theory to Application

Air pollution has been a recurring problem in northern Chinese cities, and high concentrations of PM<sub>2.5</sub> in winter have been a particular cause for concern. Secondary aerosols converted from precursor gases (i.e., nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds) evidently accoun...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Jun-ji Cao, Yu Huang, Qian Zhang
Formato: article
Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: MDPI AG 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/30518d6b256843a798dc1180de2c3941
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
Descripción
Sumario:Air pollution has been a recurring problem in northern Chinese cities, and high concentrations of PM<sub>2.5</sub> in winter have been a particular cause for concern. Secondary aerosols converted from precursor gases (i.e., nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds) evidently account for a large fraction of the PM<sub>2.5</sub>. Conventional control methods, such as dust removal, desulfurization, and denitrification, help reduce emissions from stationary combustion sources, but these measures have not led to decreases in haze events. Recent advances in nanomaterials and nanotechnology provide new opportunities for removing fine particles and gaseous pollutants from ambient air and reducing the impacts on human health. This review begins with overviews of air pollution and traditional abatement technologies, and then advances in ambient air purification by nanotechnologies, including filtration, adsorption, photocatalysis, and ambient-temperature catalysis are presented—from fundamental principles to applications. Current state-of-the-art developments in the use of nanomaterials for particle removal, gas adsorption, and catalysis are summarized, and practical applications of catalysis-based techniques for air purification by nanomaterials in indoor, semi-enclosed, and open spaces are highlighted. Finally, we propose future directions for the development of novel disinfectant nanomaterials and the construction of advanced air purification devices.