University of Tennessee Research Foundation

Peter P Tsai

Larry C Wadsworth

John R Roth

Oldrich Jirsak

Paul D Spence

Chaoyu Liu

Igor Alexeff

Mark S Rader

Mounir Laroussi

Sanjiv R Malkan

Chaoya Liu

The present invention is directed toward a filter media for a high efficiency particulate air (&ldquo;HEPA&rdquo;) filter including a multiplicity of adjacent electrostatically charged piles of nonwoven fabric. The invention further includes a method of making a HEPA filter.

Hepa filter

A web or film is electrostatically charged by sequentially subjecting the web or film to a series of electric fields such that adjacent electric fields have substantially opposite polarities. Both a method and apparatus are disclosed for charging the web or film.

Composite of pleated and nonwoven webs, method and apparatus for the

A staple fiber web is disclosed which contains pleats having staple fibers which are commingled with staple fibers from adjoining pleats. The commingling permits denser packing of pleats on the web and increases filtering efficiency and stability of the web. Methods of manufacturing the pleated staple fiber web are disclosed.

Mechanically interlocked and thermally fused staple fiber pleated and

Composite of pleated and nonwoven webs

Method and apparatus for the electrostatic charging of a web or film

A pair of electrodes are biased to produce an electrostatic discharge while placing a thin non electron absorbing gas layer near one or both of the electrodes which are used to develop the electric field. As a result, atmospheric oxygen, water vapor and other contaminants are removed from the regions surrounding the electrodes, allowing ionization to occur more easily. This is accomplished with an electrode structure including a hollow tube for receiving a gas, a plurality of apertures extending through the hollow tube for delivering the gas to the surface of the hollow tube, and the application of a biasing voltage for producing an electrostatic discharge in the presence of the gas. The tube can take the form of a longitudinally extending structure, or a hollow shell, depending upon the configuration of the electrostatic charging apparatus with which the electrode structure is used.

Electrostatic charging apparatus and method

Polymer materials such as film and fabrics, woven, non-woven and meltblown, may be non-destructively surface treated to improve water wettability by exposure to a glow discharge plasma sustained at substantially atmospheric pressure in a modified gas atmosphere comprising helium or argon.

Method and apparatus for glow discharge plasma treatment of polymer

A steady-state, glow discharge plasma is generated at one atmosphere of pressure within the volume between a pair of insulated metal plate electrodes spaced up to 5 cm apart and R.F. energized with an rms potential of 1 to 5 KV at 1 to 100 KHz. Space between the electrodes is occupied by air, nitrous oxide, a noble gas such as helium, neon, argon, etc. or mixtures thereof. The electrodes are charged by an impedance matching network adjusted to produce the most stable, uniform glow discharge.

One atmosphere, uniform glow discharge plasma

Polymer materials such as film and fabrics, woven, non-woven and meltblown, may be non-destructively surface treated to improve water wettability, wickability, and other characteristics by exposure to a glow discharge plasma sustained at substantially atmospheric pressure in air or modified gas atmospheres comprising helium or argon.

Method and apparatus for electrostatically charging a web or film by subjecting the web or film to an electric field generated between a single bar or wire electrode and the curved surface of a second electrode, and optionally sequentially subjecting the web or film to subsequent electric fields preferably in which the polarity of the field, relative to the web or film, is reversed.

A steady-state, glow discharge plasma is generated within the volume between a pair of parallel, insulated metal plate electrodes spaced up to 5 cm apart and R.F. energized with an rms potential of 1 to 5 KV at 1 to 100 KHz. The electrodes are located within an enclosure capable of maintaining an atmosphere other than atmospheric air between the electrode surfaces. Space between the electrodes is occupied by a noble gas such as helium, neon, argon, etc. or mixtures thereof.

Growing community of inventors

Knoxville, TN, United States of America

Peter P Tsai