Abstract: Filter media and filters, such as air filters, residential air filters, commercial air filters, face masks, gas turbine and compressor air intake filters, panel filters, and the like, are provided that comprise a plurality of fibers with a silicone-based coating. The silicone-based coating comprises a silicone compound at least about two percent by weight of the coating. The silicone-based coating may include a reactive silicone macroemulsion and a surfactant. The silicone-based coating increases the efficiency of the filter at capturing contaminants, particularly contaminants in the E2 and E3 particle group range, without compromising other important characteristics of the filters, such as cost, longevity, dust holding capacity, and the pressure drop or air permeability of the filter.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for producing fibrous materials and products, such as filters. A system comprises a first device for generating one or more fiber stream(s), and a second device for isolating nanoparticles within a gaseous medium. The second device forms the nanoparticles into a stream and feeds this stream into the fiber streams to form the fibrous material. This distributes the nanoparticles more uniformly throughout the fibrous material. In addition, the nanoparticles increase the overall surface area within the material, which, in certain applications, increases its filtration efficiency and allows for the capture of submicron contaminants without significantly compromising other factors, such as pressure drop through the filter. Filters produced with these systems and methods are capable of withstanding rigorous conditioning, which allows the filter to achieve substantially the same level of filtration performance throughout the lifetime of the filter.

Abstract: Filter media and filters, such as air filters, face masks, gas turbine and compressor air intake filters, panel filters and the like, are provided that include high linear density fibers and nanoparticles dispersed throughout at least a portion of the filter media. A filter includes a filter media comprising a substrate of fibers having a linear density of greater than about 3 denier, and nanoparticles disposed within the substrate. The larger linear density fibers provide more open space or pores within the filter media, allowing for a greater density of nanoparticles to be dispersed therein. This improves the overall efficiency of the filter. The three-dimensional distribution of nanoparticles within the filter also provides resistance against complete blockage of a particular portion of the filter, thereby reducing the overall pressure drop across the filter.

Abstract: Filter media and filters, such as air filters, face masks, gas turbine and compressor air intake filters, panel filters and the like, are provided that include nanoparticles dispersed throughout at least a portion of the filter media. A filter media comprises a fiber substrate with a first surface and an opposing second surface. The filter media includes nanoparticles disposed within the fiber substrate at least between the first and second surfaces such that an area density of the nanoparticles decreases from the first surface towards the second surface. This density gradient formed by the nanoparticles through at least a portion of the substrate improves the performance characteristics of the filter. The nanoparticles increase the overall surface area within the fiber substrate, which may increase its filtration efficiency and allows for the capture of submicron contaminants without significantly compromising other factors, such as pressure drop or air flow through the filter.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for separating and/or isolating individual nanoparticles from groups or clusters of nanofibers within a gaseous medium. The system comprises a housing configured to contain the groups of nanofibers, and a pump coupled to the housing. The system further includes one or more passages coupled to the pump and a gaseous medium within the passages. The pump is configured to propel the nanofibers through, or with, the gaseous medium against one or more surface(s) within the passages at a sufficient velocity and/or momentum to open up or separate, the groups of nanofibers into individual nanoparticles. Isolating individual nanoparticles in a gaseous medium and then dispersing them into a substrate or a fluid stream to form a product allows the nanoparticles to be distributed more uniformly and “in depth” throughout the product.

Abstract: Filter media and filters, such as air filters, face masks, gas turbine and compressor air intake filters, panel filters and the like, are provided that capture submicron particles with both electrostatic forces and the utilization of nanoparticles within the filter media. A filtration media includes a substrate comprising fibers and nanoparticles disposed within the substrate. At least one of the fibers or the nanoparticles are electrostatically charged. The electrostatic charge effectively captures submicron particles during at least the initial use of the filter. The nanoparticles ensure that the efficiency of the filter remains high even after the electrostatic charge starts to decay over time. In addition, the bond between the fibers and the nanoparticles may be enhanced by the electrostatic charge, which allows the nanoparticles to be dispersed in depth throughout the filter media.

Abstract: Filter media and filters are provided that include at least two layers and a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed in depth within at least one of the layers. A gas filter comprises a first layer of fibers, a second layer of fibers bonded to the first layer and a plurality of nanoparticles incorporated into the first layer. The nanoparticles increase the overall surface area within the filter, which increases its filtration efficiency and allows for the capture of submicron contaminants without significantly compromising other factors, such as pressure drop (i.e., air flow) through the filter. In addition, the filters disclosed herein are capable of withstanding rigorous conditioning, which allows the filter to achieve the same level of filtration performance throughout the lifetime of the filter. Systems, devices and methods are also provided for manufacturing such filters.

Abstract: Nonwoven materials and products comprising nonwoven materials are provided that include a substrate comprising fibers and nanoparticles incorporated into at least a portion of the substrate. A nonwoven material comprises a substrate comprising fibers and having a first surface and an opposing second surface, and nanoparticles disposed within the substrate at least between the first and second surfaces. The density of the nanoparticles decreases from the first surface towards the second surface, or a higher density of nanoparticles is disposed on the two surfaces as compared to the middle section of the substrate. This density gradient formed by the nanoparticles improves the performance characteristics of the material for a number of different applications.

Abstract: Apertured polymeric layers, sheets, mesh or films are provided for a variety of different applications. A polymeric sheet comprises at least one polymer layer having one or more apertures for flow of gas or liquid therethrough, and a plurality of nanoparticles disposed within the polymer sheet such that the nanoparticles are disposed between a first surface of the polymer sheet and a second surface opposite the first surface. The nanoparticles filter contaminants passing through the polymeric sheet. The apertured sheets may comprise filter media and/or support membranes for filter media in gas or liquid filters. The nanoparticles reduce the overall pressure drop across the support membranes to improve the efficiency of such filters.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for producing a product comprising fibrous material, such as a filter. A system for manufacturing a fibrous material comprises a feeder for advancing a substrate of fibers from an upstream end to a downstream end and a first dispersion device for dispersing a binding agent onto the substrate to coat at least a portion of the fibers with the binding agent. The system further includes a second dispersion device for dispersing nanoparticles through the first surface of the substrate such that the nanoparticles are disposed within the substrate between the first and second surfaces. The binding agent facilitates the bond between the fibers and the nanoparticles to retain the nanoparticles within the internal structure of the substrate. In addition, facilitating this bond provides a more uniform distribution of the nanoparticles throughout the substrate, which improves the performance characteristics of the material.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for producing a product comprising fibrous material, such as a filter. A system for manufacturing a product comprises a first device for isolating individual nanoparticles within a gaseous medium and a second device for combining the individual nanoparticles with fibers to form a product containing the fibers and the nanoparticles. This distributes the nanoparticles more uniformly throughout the product and in depth into the internal structure of the product. The nanoparticles increase the overall surface area within the filter media, which increases its filtration efficiency and allows for the capture of submicron contaminants without significantly compromising other factors, such as pressure drop through the filter. In addition, the filters produced with the systems and methods described herein are capable of withstanding rigorous conditioning, which allows a filter to achieve the same level of filtration performance throughout the lifetime of the filter.

Abstract: Filter media and filters, such as air filters, face masks, gas turbine and compressor air intake filters, panel filters and the like, are provided that include nanoparticles dispersed throughout at least a portion of the filter media. A filter media comprises a substrate comprising fibers and nanoparticles disposed within the substrate. The nanoparticles have at least one dimension less than 1 micron, and the filter media has a MERV rating greater than about 10 and a pressure drop less than about 0.5 inches of water. The nanoparticles increase the overall surface area within the fiber substrate, which increases its filtration efficiency and allows for the capture of submicron contaminants without significantly compromising other factors, such as pressure drop (i.e., air flow) through the filter.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for continuously manufacturing fibrous materials and products, such as filters. A system comprises a conveyor for advancing a substrate comprising fibrous materials from an upstream end to a downstream end, and a feeder for feeding groups of nanofibers into a fluid medium. A fiberization device is coupled to the feeder and configured to convert the groups of nanofibers into individual nanoparticles. A dispersion device coupled to the fiberization device disperses the nanoparticles into the substrate to form a fibrous material. This distributes the nanoparticles more uniformly throughout the fibrous material. In addition, the system continuously manufactures the material to form a product with improved quality, yield and reduced cost and time.