Electrically charged filter materials

Filters made from ordinary textile fibres are too coarse to remove micrometre-sized dust particles, which are responsible for much respiratory disease. If, however, an electric charge is applied to the fibres, a filter can provide a very good respiratory protection. Fibres can be charged by triboelectric exchange, by corona or by induction; and charge levels can give rise to electric fields in the interstices of the filter, approaching the breakdown field of the air. Some of the effect of the charge is lost as the filters become loaded with dust, but charge stability during storage is high, with shelf lives of years being attainable. The author discusses the capture of particles by electric forces and electrically charged filter materials and their production methods. The measurement of electric charge on filters, charge stability during storage, filter performance when loaded with dust and the advantages and disadvantages of such filters, are also discussed