North Carolina State University Researches Develop Air Filtration Technology

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new air filtration technology. FIL-TEX combines the best performance characteristics of HEPA filters and UVC devices into a single technology. The result is a 2D, lightweight, non-thermal plasma-enhanced textile that is proficient at both capturing and killing bacteria, viruses and other contaminants with a 99.9% efficiency.

FIL-TEX is comprised a textile fabric and conductive yarns that when voltage is applied produces a non-thermal plasma. NTP, often called cold plasma, reacts with pathogens, chemicals, odorants and other contaminants and converts them into harmless oxidized forms. When airborne pathogens pass through the FIL-TEX filter, the NTP reacts with the sheath membrane of the microorganisms, deactivating the virus or destroying the cell wall of the bacterium, essentially killing any airborne pathogens while also safely collecting them.