Characterization of Melt Blown Filters Made of Polypropylene and Polypropylene-Antimicrobial Blends, 1995 Nonwovens Conference Proceedings

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Melt blown filter media containing three antimicrobial compounds were generated and evaluated. Filter characteristics, particulate removal efficiency, and ability to prevent bacterial growth on the filter were evaluated. The filters were challenged with gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria at three agar pH and incu-bated at 25°C and 37°C for 24 and 48 h. The antimicrobial compound A was effective at preventing growth of the gram-positive, S. aureus, bacteria at the 4.8 pH. Compound A was less effective against preventing growth of the gram-negative bacteria Klebsiella (K.) pneumoniae at any pH. Compound B was no different from preventing bacterial growth on the sample than the control. Compound C prevented growth of both the gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria at all pH levels. The antimicrobial compounds were nucleating agents resulting in slight increases in the crystallinity temperature (Tc ), modulus, tensile strength, and stress-at-break and a decrease in elongation-at-break. Fiber diameters increased with increasing concentrations of the antimicrobial compounds. Filtration efficiency decreased with increasing fiber diameters, as expected. Future study will identity additional antimicrobials for air filter applications. Efficacies of the antimicrobials to additional organisms will be evaluated. Higher filtration efficiencies by generating small fiber diameters in the PP blends will be pursued.