New sustainable hybrid porous materials for air particulate matter trapping

Particulate matter (PM) is the air pollutant which has the most severe impact on health. Currently, around 90% of the population of European cities for which PM data exist is exposed to levels exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines levels. To improve air quality in cities, the challenge is to develop an innovative material solution that can reduce the concentration of PM in the air. In this presentation new porous hybrid materials produced from sodium alginate and some by-products (silica fume, wood ash), are presented. The material porosity is obtained by thermal decomposition of sodium bicarbonate, made at low temperature (70-80°C). The structural and morphological characterization made by XRD, and SEM shows that the materials are porous organic-inorganic hybrid. The mechanical performances of the obtained materials are also investigated. On the basis of embodied energy and carbon footprint of materials primary production, the sustainability of the new obtained materials is evaluated and quantified. The different materials compositions are evaluated and compared in terms of mechanical strength and sustainability. The air particulate matter adsorption characteristics of the material are investigated by a laboratory room, to evaluate its adsorption capacity. Finally the versatility of the new material is also demonstrated in term of their design possibilities: these materials can be direct foamed, extruded, and also 3D printed, with several application advantages.