Filtration media fiber structure and method of making same
Fiber structures and methods are described that incorporate a body of a micron fiber modified by the attachment of discrete length, crimped nano-fibers. Numerous of these modified fiber structures can be assembled into air filter media. Further augmentations of the modified fibers and media can be implemented to improve filtration characteristics.
1. A fiber structure, having an upstream side and a downstream side, comprising:
a plurality of micron-sized fibers, each micron-sized fiber comprising a body having a diameter of at least one micron; and
a plurality of discrete length crimped nano-fibers attached to respective ones of the bodies of the plurality of micron-sized fibers, the plurality of discrete length crimped nano-fibers extending into at least one pore defined between respective ones of the plurality of micron-sized fibers for a distance not longer than half a distance across an average size of the at least one pore.
2. The fiber structure of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the plurality of micron-sized fibers is from about 2 microns to about 1000 microns.
3. The fiber structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete length crimped nano-fibers have a diameter of from about 0.001 microns to about 2 microns.
4. The fiber structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete length crimped nano-fibers entangle themselves to form micro-volumes.
5. The fiber structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete length crimped nano-fibers extend into pores formed by the plurality of micron-sized fibers.
6. The fiber structure of claim 1 , wherein a distribution of the plurality of discrete length crimped nano-fibers increases from the upstream side to the downstream side of the fiber structure.
7. The fiber structure of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the plurality of discrete length crimped nano-fibers decreases from the upstream side to the downstream side of the fiber structure.
8. A filter media, comprising:
a plurality of micron-sized fibers, each micron-size fiber comprising a body having a diameter of at least one micron, respective ones of the plurality of micron-sized fibers defining at least one pore between the micron-sized fibers; and
a plurality of discrete length, crimped nano-fibers attached to respective ones of the bodies of the micron-sized fibers and extending outwardly from the micron-sized fibers into the at least one pore formed between the micron-size fibers for a distance not longer than half a distance across an average size of the at least one pore.
9. The filter media of claim 8 wherein the nano-fibers entangle upon themselves to form one or more micro-volumes and one or more three-dimensional arranged micro-pores.
10. The filter media of claim 8 , further comprising an adhesive on one or more of the plurality of micron-sized fibers and the plurality of discrete length, crimped nano-fibers.
11. The filter media of claim 8 , further comprising one or more functional nano-particles attached to one or more of the plurality of micron-sized fibers and the plurality of discrete length, crimped nano-fibers.
12. The filter media of claim 11 , wherein the one or more functional nano-particles include activated carbon.
13. The filter media of claim 8 , wherein one or more of the plurality of micron-sized fibers and the plurality of discrete length, crimped nano-fibers comprises electrostatic material.
14. The filter media of claim 8 , wherein one or more of the plurality of micron-sized fibers and the plurality of discrete length, crimped nano-fibers includes a hydrophobic material.
15. The filter media of claim 8 , wherein one or more of the plurality of micron-sized fibers or and the plurality of discrete length, crimped nano-fibers includes a hydrophilic material.
16. The filter media of claim 8 , wherein a distribution of the plurality of discrete length, crimped nano-fibers increases from an upstream side to a downstream side of the filter media.
17. The filter media of claim 8 , wherein a diameter of the plurality of discrete length, crimped nano-fibers decreases from an upstream side to a downstream side of the filter media.
18. A filter media structure, comprising:
a plurality of layers, each layer of the plurality of layers including:
a plurality of micron-sized fibers, each micron-size fiber comprising a body having a diameter of at least one micron, respective ones of the plurality of micron-sized fibers defining at least one pore between the micron-sized fibers; and
a plurality of discrete length, crimped nano-fibers attached to respective ones of the bodies of the micron-sized fibers and extending outwardly from the micron-sized fibers into the at least one pore formed between the micron-size fibers,
wherein each layer of the plurality of layers includes a differing size of discrete length, crimped nano-fibers than respective ones of the plurality of layers.
19. The filter media structure of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of layers are arranged as a high loft filtration media.
20. The filter media structure of claim 18 , wherein each layer of the plurality of layers includes a differing amount of discrete length, crimped nano-fibers than respective ones of the plurality of layers.
21. The filter media structure of claim 18 , wherein each layer of the plurality of layers includes at least one of a differing pore size or a differing thickness than respective ones of the plurality of layers.