Plasma Surface\nActivated Carbon Fiber Mats for Effective\nAerosol-Mediated Mn Remediation

Modifying\nnano/microporous fiber surfaces while preserving\ntheir\nbulk properties in a green and scalable way is desirable and highly\nchallenging. This study employed the development of a plasma surface-engineered\nactivated carbon fiber (ACF) mat to remove a model heavy metal (HM)\nmanganese (Mn) from the air efficiently. This eco-conscious initiative\nwill help to improve the air quality in severely contaminated mining\nregions. We investigated various precursors for plasma surface modification.\nThe ACF treated with 2-mercaptoethanol (MCE) plasma exhibited superior\nfiltration efficiency for HM-contaminated aerosols, resulting in a\n25% enhancement compared to that of the pristine ACF. A comprehensive\nanalysis of the mat’s physicochemical properties was conducted\nafter modifications and filtration. The pressure drop values between\nthe pristine and plasma-treated ACFs were found to be insignificant.\nUltimately, these results have demonstrated the potential of MCE plasma-treated\nACF as an efficient filter for removing HMs from the air.