Stacking polymer microspheres matrix: a facile, practical, and energy-saving strategy for suppression of acid mist

ABSTRACT

The electroplating, electrolysis, and pickling industrial processes would generate numerous gas pollutes, acid mist, which could not be essentially diminished due to its synthesis mechanism and cause gaseous environmental pollution, equipment corrosion, and endanger workers’ health. In this study, a facile, practical, and energy-saving acid mist suppression system was constructed by introducing a stacking microsphere matrix as a floating porous phase on the acid solution and not causing secondary pollution. The mechanism of this green acid mist suppression strategy mainly focused on size-selective blocking of acid mist droplets by dense stacking microsphere layer and dissipation of floating kinetic energy of bubbles in the acid mist. The factors relating to the matrix's microstructure, the particle size of microspheres, the combination of the complex particles with a wide range of particle sizes, and the thickness of the matrix on the acid mist suppression were explored. It found that the matrix constituted of a medium-sized polymer sphere (1.075 ± 0.175 mm) presents a better appearance in the acid mist suppression. When the thickness of this matrix reached 15 mm, its acid mist efficiency also came up to 100%, totally blocking the acid mist. Meanwhile, complex particles with different particle sizes and PMMA porous blocks are beneficial for suppressing acid mist. Herein, this research opened up a green and effective strategy for regulating this hazardous gas pollute, acid mist.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Industrial acid mist
• suppression of acid mist
• polymer microphere matrix
• size-blocking

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Raw data were generated at Kunming University of Science and Technology. Derived data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author Yanlin Sun on request.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51863011 and 21577053) and Measurement Fund of Kunming University of Science and Technology (2020T20190082).