Particulate matter capturing via naturally dried ZIF-8/graphene aerogels under harsh conditions

Abstract

Particulate matter (PM) pollution poses a serious threat to the environment and public health. Capture of PM is best performed at the emission source, such as car exhaust exit points, although it is a challenge for filters to work under harsh conditions of high temperatures and flow rate. Here we designed a thermally stable PM filter by in situ anchoring of zeolite imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) on a three-dimensional (3D) network of reduced graphene oxide aerogel (rGA) through natural drying. Owing to high specific surface area, well-connected porous network of graphene aerogel, and large number of metal sites from ZIF-8/rGA, the capture efficiencies for PM2.5 and PM10 are over 99.3% and 99.6%, respectively, at ambient conditions, and the efficiencies remain high in harsh conditions (PM2.5 and PM10: >98.8% and >99.1%, respectively, at 200°C at a flow velocity of 30 L/min). The filter can be regenerated by a simple washing process.