Nanofibers for air
Nanofibers can be used in the following applications:
- Stand-alone or induct air purifiers for homes
- Industrial pollution catalytic and photocatalytic filters
- Exhaust catalytic filters
- Noise absorption
The primary benefits of nanofibers in these applications are:
- High filtration efficiency
- High surface area
- High permeability – great energy savings
- Low cost / single use / effective
- Lightweight and effective
A cleaner environment is possible with novel solutions for air filtration based on organic polymer nanofiber webs and photocatalytic air purification systems based on inorganic nanofiber structures. Nanofiber air filter media are utilized to purify air, which contains solid particles (viruses, dust and other ultrafine particles) liquid particles (smog, evaporated water, chemical solvents, etc.) and out-perform other filter media by low air-blowing resistance and high filtration efficiency.
Catalytic converters became popular in the automotive industry beginning with the United States’ EPA’s regulations that required them in all vehicles starting in 1975. They are used in vehicles to reduce noxious emissions, including CO2, CO, NOx and others. Catalytic converters depend on reactions which convert toxic emissions into other less-toxic substances and depend on surface area and filtration-like properties to enable those reactions without impacting the performance of the vehicle. High surface area nanofibers can be applied to the substrate, wash coat or catalyst itself to improve the component’s performance. The improvement of the catalytic activity is caused by the availability of a larger surface area and the relatively easy transport of a reactant to the active sites on each nanofiber. Low temperature activity and selectivity, stability and resistance to deactivation, and the low cost of nanofiber catalysts can generate a new alternative to very expensive noble metals.
Ceramic nanofibers can be used in the manufacturing of catalysts for the removal of volatile organic contaminants (VOCs) from industrial air emissions, enabling high efficiency of photocatalytic decomposition of VOC’s when compared to non-permeable solutions.
