FILTRATION MEDIA AND FILTERS
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.
1 . A filter media comprising:
a layer containing fibers; and
wherein the fibers are coated with a coating comprising a silicone compound present in an amount of about 10% or less by weight of the coating, and wherein an add-on weight of the coating is about 1% to about 10% based on the total weight of the fibers.
2 . The filter media of claim 1 , wherein the silicone compound is present in an amount of about 5% or less by weight of the coating.
3 . The filter media of claim 1 , wherein the silicone compound is present in amount of about 1% by weight of the coating.
4 . The filter media of claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a reactive silicone macroemulsion.
5 . The filter media of claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises an amino functional polydimethylsiloxane.
6 . The filter media of claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises polyethylene glycol monotridecyl ether.
7 . The filter media of claim 1 , further comprising nanoparticles within the layer.
8 . The filter media of claim 7 , wherein the layer comprises a first surface and an opposing second surface and the nanoparticles are dispersed throughout the layer from the first surface to the second surface.
9 . The filter media of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the fibers is electrostatically charged.
10 . The filter media of claim 1 , wherein the filter media has an improvement in an E3 filtration efficiency of at least about 30% compared to an E3 filtration efficiency value of a filter medium containing the same fibers devoid of the coating.
11 . The filter media of claim 1 , wherein the filter media comprises an improvement in an E2 filtration efficiency about 20% or more compared to an E2 filtration efficiency value of filter medium containing the same fibers devoid of the coating.
12 . A filter media comprising:
a layer comprising fibers; and
a silicone-based coating on the fibers and comprising a silicone compound present in an amount of about 2% to about 10% by weight of the coating, wherein an add-on weight of the silicon-based coating is about 6% to about 10% based on the total weight of the fibers.
13 . The filter media of claim 12 , wherein the coating comprises a reactive silicone macroemulsion.
14 . The filter media of claim 12 , wherein the coating comprises an amino functional polydimethylsiloxane.
15 . The filter media of claim 12 , wherein the coating comprises polyethylene glycol monotridecyl ether.
16 . The filter media of claim 12 , wherein the fibers comprise continuous fibers having a spin finish of less than about 1.0%.
17 . The filter media of claim 12 , further comprising nanoparticles within the layer.
18 . The filter media of claim 17 , wherein the layer comprises a first surface and an opposing second surface and the nanoparticles are dispersed throughout the layer from the first surface to the second surface.
19 . The filter media of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the fibers is electrostatically charged.
20 . The filter media of claim 12 , wherein the layer comprises a first layer, and the filter media further comprises a second layer of fibers coated with a coating comprising a silicone compound.