Samsung Electronics has introduced a new air filter technology that can be used for 20 years through simple water washing. This new air filter tech simultaneously collects particulate matter(PM) and decomposes Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

A study about the technology was published in the journal Nature Communications.

“This project started from listening to suggestions from manufacturers and users of air purification filters,” said Hyuk Jae Kwon, one of the lead-/corresponding authors at Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT). “We plan to expand the research into accelerating the commercialization of long-lifetime filters in the future.”

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Samsung Unveils Regenerable Air Purification Filter Technology 

Conventional air purification filters need frequent replacement because of their short cycle of six months to one year. In addition, every single filter can only remove either PM or VOCs, respectively, limiting air purifiers’ space efficiency.

To address these problems, researchers at SAIT developed and implemented an unprecedented filter technology. It applies photocatalysts such as copper oxide (Cu2O) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) for the first time and verifies the viability for commercialization.

Samsung’s ceramic catalyst filter technology is expected to help implement compact air purification systems. In the end, it should significantly reduce both disposable waste and the cost burden caused by frequent filter replacement.

The filter is designed to capture PMs first in the porous ceramic wall at the inlet channel. Here, the inorganic membrane is coated and decomposes VOC gases on the photocatalyst on the outlet channel under a single-pass airflow.

It combines two different filters for dust and gas and increases dust loading capacity by four times. Compared to conventional filters, it has moved up from five grams per liter to 20.

In addition, since the SAIT-developed Cu2O / TiO2 photocatalyst is insoluble, the filter is regenerable by simple water washing. After, the filter still retains its initial PM and VOC gas removal performance.

Assuming ten times regeneration through water-washing, the filter can be used for 20 years. This means it has up to 40 times longer lifespan than the conventional HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter.

For further assessment, Samsung Electronics plans to produce prototypes for air conditioning facilities at office buildings, bus terminals, and underground parking lots in its semiconductor campuses.