Biodegradable Air Filters
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
| Benefit |
|---|
| 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 |
More Information
- Derek Eitzmann, Ph.D.
- Assistant Technology Manager, Multi Campus Office
- 865-974-1882 | deitzman@tennessee.edu
- UTRF Reference ID: 20184-03
- Patent Status: US20240252964A1
Innovators
Dr. Ganesh Deka
Former Principal Scientist
Dr. Deka received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Toronto in 1987. Dr. Deka has significant knowledge and experience with bio-fiber and synthetic-fiber based filtration products from decades in the composites and nonwoven fabric industries and is an inventor on more than a dozen U.S. patents.
Read more about Dr. Ganesh DekaDr. Uday Vaidya
UT/ORNL Governor's Chair in Advanced Composites Manufacturing Professor; Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering (MABE) Chief Technology Officer; Institute for Advanced Composites and Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI)
Dr. Vaidya received his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Materials Engineering from Auburn University in 7993 and joined UT in 2075. Previously, he earned his B. S. in Mechanical Engineering at Karnataka University, India, and his M.S. in Mechanical Design Engineering at Shivaji University, India. His research focuses on advanced composites manufacturing, composite materials applications, nano-bio materials, and composites recycling/ sustainability.
Read more about Dr. Uday Vaidya