فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Air filtration systems capable of not only capturing but also inactivating airborne microorganisms are crucial for maintaining air quality. Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ​) is a well-known photocatalyst, but its activity is largely confined to the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum. This research investigates the development of antibacterial air filters active under visible light by coating polypropylene (PP) nonwoven SSMMS filters with TiO 2 ​ nanoparticles and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). Filters were prepared using different coating sequences (sequential and simultaneous) and characterized using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) to analyze surface morphology and nanoparticle distribution. Photocatalytic activity under visible light (300W fluorescent lamp) was assessed via the degradation of methylene blue (MB), monitored by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Antibacterial efficacy was evaluated against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus using the AATCC 100 method. Results indicated a significant synergistic enhancement in both photocatalytic MB degradation and bacterial inactivation for filters coated with both TiO 2 ​ and β-CD compared to TiO 2​ alone. The coating sequence profoundly influenced performance, with the filter prepared by first coating with β-CD followed by TiO 2 ​ (Sample C) exhibiting the highest MB degradation (90% in 120 min) and the most potent antibacterial activity against both bacterial strains. These findings demonstrate that combining β-CD with TiO 2 ​ on PP filters, particularly using a sequential β-CD-first approach, yields a promising material for visible-light-driven antibacterial air filtration. The enhancement is attributed to the synergistic interaction where β-CD likely promotes reactant adsorption near the TiO 2 ​ surface, facilitating photocatalytic processes under visible light irradiation.