Polypropylene nonwoven loaded with cerium-doped manganese oxides submicron particles for ozone decomposition and air filtration

[Display omitted] •A composite material with the ability to remove ozone and filter air was prepared.•The composite material can be applied in high humidity for ozone decomposition.•A substrate with good permeability improves the application of powder catalysts.•Rough fiber surface formed by supported catalysts improves filtration performance. Air pollution caused by particulate matter (PM) and ozone poses a serious threat to human health. The key to eliminating this threat is to develop a multifunctional material with ozone and PM removal capabilities. A novel composite material (Ce-OMS-2/PP-g-AA) composed of surface carboxylation polypropylene nonwoven (PP-g-AA) and cerium-doped manganese oxides particles (Ce-OMS-2) have been prepared by ultraviolet (UV) grafting polymerization and self-assembly methods. The effects of self-assembly processes such as particle concentration and the grafting degree of PP nonwoven were investigated. The Ce-OMS-2/PP-g-AA composite material with a lower average valance of Mn exhibited a stable > 98.82% conversion efficiency for 500 ppb O3 at a relative humidity (RH) of 45%, and a space velocity of 600 L·g−1·h−1 after 36 h at room temperature. Furthermore, the Ce-OMS-2/PP-g-AA composite material achieved a better PM filtration efficiency (80.1%) than the PP-g-AA nonwoven. It was concluded that the Ce-OMS-2/PP-g-AA composite nonwoven could be applied in personal protection and air purification in a complex contaminant environment involving ozone and PM.