Porous block nanofiber composite filters

1. A filtration system comprising:

a flow-through chamber having an inlet and an outlet; and

a porous block nano-fiber composite filtration medium disposed within the flow-through chamber, the filtration medium comprising:

a porous carbon block formed from porous carbon and having one or more pores; and

a plurality of inorganic nano-fibers formed within at least one of the pores of the porous carbon block.

2. The filtration system of claim 1 wherein the inorganic nano-fibers are formed from at least one of: an aluminate, titanate, or inorganic oxide.

3. The filtration system of claim 1 wherein the inorganic nano-fibers are at least one of: boehmite, gamma alumina, or alpha alumina.

4. The filtration system of claim 1 wherein the inorganic nano-fibers are formed using a precursor material which includes at least one of the following: TiO 2 , Al(OH) 3 , Al(Ac) 2 OH, or Al(Ac)(OH) 2 .

5. The filtration system of claim 1 wherein the inorganic nano-fibers are formed using a hydrothermal process.

6. The filtration system of claim 1 used for absorption of at least one of biologicals or pathogens.

7. A porous block nano-fiber composite comprising:

a porous carbon block formed from porous carbon and having one or more pores; and

a plurality of inorganic nano-fibers formed within at least one of the pores of the porous carbon block.

8. The porous block nano-fiber composite of claim 7 wherein the inorganic nano-fibers are formed from at least one of: an aluminate, titanate, or inorganic oxide.

9. The porous block nano-fiber composite of claim 7 wherein the inorganic nano-fibers are at least one of: boehmite, gamma alumina, or alpha alumina.

10. The porous block nano-fiber composite of claim 7 wherein the inorganic nano-fibers are formed using a precursor material which includes at least one of the following: TiO 2 , Al(OH) 3 , Al(Ac) 2 OH, or Al(Ac)(OH) 2 .

11. The porous block nano-fiber composite of claim 7 wherein the inorganic nano-fibers are formed using a hydrothermal process.

12. The porous block nano-fiber composite of claim 7 adapted for use as a filter for absorption of at least one of biologicals or pathogens.

13. The porous block nano-fiber composite of claim 7 adapted for use as a filter for absorption of at least one heavy metal.

14. The porous block nano-fiber composite of claim 7 wherein the inorganic nano-fibers are formed using a hydrothermal process comprising:

providing an un-modified porous carbon block and an inorganic precursor material in water in a process chamber;

heating and pressurizing the process chamber to produce a porous block nano-fiber composite product; and

incorporating the porous block nano-fiber composite product as an active element of a filtration medium.

15. A method for producing a porous block nano-fiber composite, comprising:

providing a porous carbon block and an inorganic precursor material in water in a process chamber; and

hydrothermally producing a porous carbon block nano-fiber composite product, wherein the hydrothermally producing comprises synthesizing inorganic nano-fibers within pores of the porous carbon block.

16. The method of claim 15 further including incorporating the porous carbon block nano-fiber composite product as an active element of a filtration medium.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the hydrothermally producing includes at least one of heating or pressurizing.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the inorganic nano-fibers are formed from at least one of: an aluminate, titanate, or inorganic oxide.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the inorganic nano-fibers are at least one of: boehmite, gamma alumina, or alpha alumina.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the inorganic precursor material is at least one of the following: TiO 2 , Al(OH) 3 , Al(Ac) 2 OH, or Al(Ac)(OH) 2 .

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the process chamber is heated to a temperature in a range of 125° C. to 200° C.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein the process chamber is pressurized to a pressure in a range of 50 psi to 100 psi.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein the inorganic nano-fibers have a dry surface area of 200 m 2 /g to 300 m 2 /g.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein the inorganic nano-fibers are 100% boehmite according to x-ray diffraction analysis.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein the porous carbon block nano-fiber composite product is produced in the process chamber after a period of at least 5 hours.

26. A porous carbon block nano-fiber composite filter for biological or inorganic filter applications produced according to the process of claim 15 .

27. The porous carbon block nano-fiber composite filter of claim 26 adapted for absorption of at least one of biologicals or pathogens.

28. The porous carbon block nano-fiber composite filter of claim 26 adapted for absorption of at least one heavy metal.