Biodegradable air filters: wet-laid nonwoven filtration media from plant and cellulose fibers
A new class of nonwoven fabrics made using biodegradable fibers from hard/softwood pulps, refined plant fibers, and cellulose fibers, wet-laid to produce non-woven air filtration mats. Air filter media with efficiencies of 4-16 minimum efficiency reporting values (MERV) have been successfully fabricated.
The problem
The air filter market is growing rapidly due to several initiatives to improve indoor air quality and human health. These products capture invisible pollutants (dust, mold, pollen, etc.) and need to be replaced routinely to maintain effectiveness. Current air filtration media is manufactured using melt blown plastics such as polyester and polypropylene. The final non-woven mats are fabricated with additional technologies to modulate their efficiency, or ability to capture smaller pollutants. These widely deployed products are single-use and are not biodegradable.
The solution
Researchers at the University of Tennessee have developed a new class of nonwoven fabrics made using biodegradable fibers. These biodegradable fibers can be from hard/softwood pulps, refined plant fibers, and cellulose fibers. These fibers are wet-laid to produce non-woven mats and can be paired with a wide variety of technologies to modulate the efficiency of air filtration media. Additionally, the media can be composed of numerous layers of different compositions to produce different characteristics. Air filter media with efficiencies of 4-16 minimum efficiency reporting values (MERV) have been successfully fabricated.
Benefits
- Biodegradable air filtration media with low-cost materials
- Useful in residential, commercial, automotive, and industrial applications
- Additional applications for hand wipes, wound dressings, and gas filtration
- MERV values of 4-16 for diverse applications
Patent status
US20240252964A1.
About University of Tennessee, Knoxville
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