Air purification filter and air purification module using same

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an air purification filter and an air purification module using same and, more specifically, to an air purification filter and an air purification module using same, the air purification filter being manufactured by comprising, in a photocatalyst, a noble metal oxide catalyst, a transition metal oxide catalyst, or both a noble metal oxide catalyst and a transition metal oxide catalyst, thereby being capable of sterilization, deodorization, and air purification even without a light source.

Description

Air purification filter and air purification module using the same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air purification filter and an air purification module using the same, and more specifically, to an air purification filter that enables air purification, such as sterilization and deodorization, in the air without a light source such as UV or visible light, and an air purification module using the same.

[0002] A vehicle's HVAC system regulates air quality inside the vehicle by managing air temperature, humidity, circulation, and cleanliness, thereby providing a comfortable environment. If air circulation inside the vehicle is not proper, the concentration of harmful substances inside the vehicle can increase.

[0003] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2018-0090203 (August 10, 2018) disclosed an air filter comprising a metal-foam substrate, a carbon coating layer, and a visible light-activated photocatalytic coating layer, and an air purification module including the same. However, conventional air filters, because air is purified by a light source, have the problem of requiring periodic replacement as the light source's intensity weakens over time.

[0004] Furthermore, Korean Patent No. 10-2092564 (March 18, 2020) disclosed a vehicle air conditioning system equipped with a photocatalyst module including a catalyst. However, while the photocatalyst module including the catalyst demonstrated excellent ammonia removal performance, its formaldehyde removal performance was somewhat inadequate. Furthermore, the nonporous metal foam limited its bacteria adsorption performance. Therefore, the development of a photocatalyst module capable of improving air quality inside vehicles is necessary.

[0005] Accordingly, the present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and more specifically, the purpose is to provide an air purification filter capable of sterilizing, deodorizing, and purifying air without a light source such as UV or visible light, including a precious metal oxidation catalyst or a transition metal oxidation catalyst in a photocatalyst, and an air purification module using the same.

[0006] An air purification filter according to the present disclosure comprises: a carrier formed of metal foam; a catalyst layer coated with a photocatalyst including an oxidation reaction catalyst on the surface of the carrier;

[0007] Next, an air purification module according to the present disclosure comprises a main body formed by combining an upper cover and a lower cover; and an air purification filter disposed in an internal receiving portion of the lower cover; wherein the air purification filter comprises: a carrier formed of metal foam; and a catalyst layer coated with a photocatalyst including an oxidation reaction catalyst on the surface of the carrier.

[0008] According to the air purification filter of the present disclosure, by including a precious metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, or including a transition metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, or synthesizing the photocatalyst by including a precious metal oxidation catalyst and a transition metal oxidation catalyst, it can have activity against visible light in the wavelength range of 380 to 700 nm, and can also have activity against UV in the wavelength range of 100 to 280 nm, thereby enabling sterilization and air purification effects.

[0009] According to the air purification module of the present disclosure, an air purification filter can be installed, and is configured in a perforated form so as to be in contact with external air, and by including a precious metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, or including a transition metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, or including a precious metal oxidation catalyst and a transition metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, a composition is formed to synthesize the photocatalyst, so that even in an environment without light, holes or active oxygen species are generated on the surface of the oxidation catalyst by air circulation, thereby enabling sterilization and improvement of air quality.

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a carrier constituting an air purification filter according to the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a carrier including a catalyst layer coated with a catalyst that constitutes an air purification filter according to the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an air purification module including an air purification filter according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an air purification module including an air purification filter according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an air purification module including an air purification filter according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a lower cover equipped with an air purification filter according to the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 7 is a graph showing the deodorization performance results of an air purification module equipped with an air purification filter according to the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 8 is a graph showing the results of the floating bacteria removal performance of an air purification module equipped with an air purification filter according to the present disclosure.

[0018] An air purification filter according to the present disclosure comprises: a carrier formed of metal foam; a catalyst layer coated with a photocatalyst including an oxidation reaction catalyst on the surface of the carrier;

[0019] Additionally, the carrier includes an adsorbent material.

[0020] Additionally, in the air purification filter according to the present disclosure, the metal foam has pores formed therein, and the size of the pores formed in the metal foam is formed to be 1,200 to 3,000 μm.

[0021] Additionally, in the air purification filter according to the present disclosure, the adsorbent material is selected from among activated carbon, zeolite, silica gel, activated alumina, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).

[0022] Additionally, in the air purification filter according to the present disclosure, the photocatalyst is selected from any one of titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), cadmium sulfide (CdS), tungsten oxide (WO₃), silicon oxide (SiO₂), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃).

[0023] In addition, in the air purification filter according to the present disclosure, the oxidation reaction catalyst is composed of a precious metal, and the precious metal is selected from among gold (Au), iridium (Ir), and ruthenium (Ru).

[0024] In addition, in the air purification filter according to the present disclosure, the oxidation reaction catalyst is composed of a transition metal, and the transition metal is selected from any one of copper-manganese nitrate (Mn(NO3)2, Cu(NO3)2), copper-manganese (Cu-Mn), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe).

[0025] Next, an air purification module according to the present disclosure comprises a main body formed by combining an upper cover and a lower cover; and an air purification filter disposed in an internal receiving portion of the lower cover; wherein the air purification filter comprises: a carrier formed of metal foam; and a catalyst layer coated with a photocatalyst including an oxidation reaction catalyst on the surface of the carrier.

[0026] In addition, in the air purification module according to the present disclosure, the carrier is formed of a metal foam containing an adsorbent material, the metal foam has pores formed therein, and the size of the pores formed in the metal foam is 1,200 to 3,000 μm.

[0027] Additionally, in the air purification module according to the present disclosure, the photocatalyst is selected from any one of titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), cadmium sulfide (CdS), tungsten oxide (WO₃), silicon oxide (SiO₂), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃).

[0028] In addition, in the air purification module according to the present disclosure, the oxidation reaction catalyst is composed of a precious metal, and the precious metal is selected from among gold (Au), iridium (Ir), and ruthenium (Ru).

[0029] In addition, in the air purification module according to the present disclosure, the oxidation reaction catalyst is composed of a transition metal, and the transition metal is selected from any one of copper-manganese nitrate (Mn(NO3)2, Cu(NO3)2), copper-manganese (Cu-Mn), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe).

[0030] In addition, the air purification module according to the present disclosure further includes an optical element.

[0031] Additionally, in the air purification module according to the present disclosure, the optical element is configured with a visible light wavelength range of 380 to 700 nm or a UV wavelength range of 100 to 280 nm.

[0032] In addition, the air purification module according to the present disclosure further includes an inner cover disposed on the surface of the air purification filter and an optical element arrangement unit in which an optical element is disposed on the inner cover.

[0033] Additionally, in the air purification module according to the present disclosure, the inner cover includes a fixed cover that fixes the optical element.

[0034] The present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. However, these are merely exemplary and the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated by way of example.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein for purposes of description is merely for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and is not intended to be limiting.

[0036] Additionally, the singular forms used in the specification and the appended claims are intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Furthermore, when a part is said to "include" a component, this does not exclude other components, but rather includes other components, unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an air purification filter (100) according to the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 1, the air purification filter (100) according to the present disclosure includes a carrier and a catalyst layer (110). The carrier is formed to include a plurality of pores therein and may have various shapes including a mesh. In addition, the carrier may be formed of a metal foam or a material having elastic properties. The carrier in the present disclosure is formed of a metal foam including an adsorbent material. In this case, the metal foam may include one selected from nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), tungsten (W), SUS (Fe-Cr-Ni alloy), titanium (Ti), silver (Ag), and combinations thereof.

[0038] In addition, the adsorbent material is selected from among zeolite, activated carbon, silica gel, metal-organic frameworks, activated alumina, and metal oxides. At this time, the metal foam is formed with pores, and the size of the pores formed in the metal foam is formed to be 1,200 to 3,000 μm. Since the pores of the metal foam have the above-mentioned size, an appropriate air flow rate can be secured, and accordingly, the air purification function can be further improved. In addition, at this time, an adsorbent material can be further added to the metal foam. The adsorbent material can be composed of any one of activated carbon, zeolite, silica gel, activated alumina, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Activated carbon has the characteristics of having a high surface area and adsorption capacity, and zeolite has the characteristic of being able to selectively adsorb specific molecules with its fine porous structure. Additionally, silica gel possesses high hygroscopicity, and activated alumina, a porous adsorbent composed of aluminum oxide, can be used for hygroscopicity and as a catalyst. Furthermore, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) possess extremely high surface areas and selective adsorption capabilities.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a carrier including a catalyst layer (110) coated with a catalyst on a carrier constituting an air purification filter (100) according to the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 2, the catalyst layer (110) is formed by coating the surface of the carrier with a photocatalyst including an oxidation reaction catalyst.

[0040] A photocatalyst absorbs light and generates electrons and holes from the energy obtained to generate superoxide anions or hydroxyl radicals, thereby performing air purification, deodorization, and antibacterial functions. The photocatalyst in the present disclosure is selected from any one of titanium dioxide (TiO₂), zinc oxide (ZnO), cadmium sulfide (CdS), tungsten oxide (WO₃), silicon oxide (SiO₂), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃). In addition, the present disclosure further includes an oxidation reaction catalyst during the synthesis of the photocatalyst. The oxidation reaction catalyst may be composed of a noble metal, and is selected from any one of gold (Au), iridium (Ir), and ruthenium (Ru). Additionally, the oxidation reaction catalyst may be composed of a transition metal, and is selected from among copper-manganese nitrate (Mn(NO3)2, Cu(NO3)2), copper-manganese (Cu-Mn), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe).

[0041] Accordingly, in the present disclosure, a photocatalyst can be synthesized by including a noble metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, a transition metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, or a noble metal oxidation catalyst and a transition metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst. The method for manufacturing a photocatalyst and a noble metal oxidation catalyst, or a noble metal photocatalyst and a transition metal oxidation catalyst, or a photocatalyst and a noble metal oxidation catalyst and a transition metal oxidation catalyst can be prepared by liquefying the solution by a sol-gel method or a hydrothermal synthesis method, and coating a metal foam carrier on the prepared solution and drying it to finally manufacture an air purification filter (100).

[0042] In addition, the noble metal oxidation reaction catalyst in the present disclosure may be selected from gold (Au), and the transition metal oxidation reaction catalyst may be selected from copper-manganese (Cu-Mn). As described above, by synthesizing a photocatalyst by including a noble metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, a photocatalyst by including a transition metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, or a photocatalyst by including a noble metal oxidation catalyst and a transition metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, it can be active against visible light in the wavelength range of 380 to 700 nm, and can also be active against UV in the wavelength range of 100 to 280 nm. In addition, even in an environment without light, sterilization is possible and air quality can be improved by generating holes or reactive oxygen species on the surface of the oxidation catalyst by air circulation.

[0043] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an air purification module including an air purification filter (100) according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 3, an air purification module (1000) using an air purification filter (100) according to the present disclosure is configured to include a main body and an air purification filter (100).

[0044] The main body is formed by combining the upper cover (200) and the lower cover (300), and the air purification filter (100) is placed in the internal receiving portion (310) of the lower cover (300). The upper cover (200) and the lower cover (300) are configured to be fitted together. In addition, the internal receiving portion (310) of the lower cover (300) is configured in a perforated form so that the air purification filter (100) can be installed therein and can come into contact with the outside air. Therefore, the air purification module of the present disclosure is configured to be capable of sterilizing and deodorizing by coming into contact with the air and purifying the air even without a light source (500) such as UV or visible light.

[0045] Next, an air purification filter (100) according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a carrier and a catalyst layer (110). The carrier is formed of a metal foam containing an adsorbent material. At this time, the carrier is formed with a plurality of pores inside, and may have various shapes including a mesh. In addition, it may be formed of a metal foam or a material having elastic properties. The carrier in the present disclosure is formed of a metal foam containing an adsorbent material. In addition, the adsorbent material is selected from any one of zeolite, activated carbon, silica gel, metal organic framework, activated alumina, and metal oxide. In this case, the metal foam is formed with pores, and the size of the pores formed in the metal foam is formed to be 1,200 to 3,000 μm. Since the pores of the metal foam have the above-mentioned size, an appropriate air flow rate can be secured, and thus the air purification function can be further improved. In addition, an adsorbent material may be further added to the metal foam. The adsorbent material can be composed of any of activated carbon, zeolite, silica gel, activated alumina, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Activated carbon is characterized by its high surface area and adsorption capacity, and zeolite has the characteristic of being able to selectively adsorb specific molecules due to its fine porous structure. In addition, silica gel has high hygroscopicity, and activated alumina is a porous adsorbent made of aluminum oxide that can be used for moisture absorption and as a catalyst. Furthermore, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have a very high surface area and selective adsorption capacity. At this time, the metal form may include one selected from nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), tungsten (W), SUS (Fe-Cr-Ni alloy), titanium (Ti), silver (Ag), and combinations thereof.In the present disclosure, the photocatalyst is selected from any one of titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), cadmium sulfide (CdS), tungsten oxide (WO₃), silicon oxide (SiO₂), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃). In addition, the present disclosure further includes an oxidation reaction catalyst during the synthesis of the photocatalyst. The oxidation reaction catalyst may be composed of a noble metal, and is selected from any one of gold (Au), iridium (Ir), and ruthenium (Ru). In addition, the oxidation reaction catalyst may be composed of a transition metal, and is selected from any one of copper-manganese nitrate (Mn(NO3)2, Cu(NO3)2), copper-manganese (Cu-Mn), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe).

[0046] The catalyst layer (110) is formed by coating the surface of the carrier with a photocatalyst containing an oxidation reaction catalyst. Accordingly, in the present disclosure, the photocatalyst can be synthesized by including a noble metal oxidation catalyst, a transition metal oxidation catalyst, or a noble metal oxidation catalyst and a transition metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst. The method for manufacturing the photocatalyst and the noble metal oxidation catalyst, or the noble metal photocatalyst and the transition metal oxidation catalyst, or the photocatalyst and the noble metal oxidation catalyst and the transition metal oxidation catalyst can be prepared by liquefying the solution by a sol-gel method or a hydrothermal synthesis method, and coating a metal foam carrier on the prepared solution and drying it to finally manufacture the air purification filter (100).

[0047] The photocatalyst is selected from titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), cadmium sulfide (CdS), tungsten oxide (WO₃), silicon oxide (SiO₂), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃). In addition, the oxidation reaction catalyst is composed of a noble metal, and the noble metal can be selected from any one of gold (Au), iridium (Ir), and ruthenium (Ru). In addition, the oxidation reaction catalyst can also be composed of a transition metal, and the transition metal can be selected from any one of copper-manganese nitrate (Mn(NO3)2, Cu(NO3)2), copper-manganese (Cu-Mn), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe).

[0048] In addition, the noble metal oxidation reaction catalyst in the present disclosure may be selected from gold (Au), and the transition metal oxidation reaction catalyst may be selected from copper-manganese (Cu-Mn). As described above, by including a noble metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, or including a transition metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, or synthesizing the photocatalyst by including a noble metal oxidation catalyst and a transition metal oxidation catalyst, it can be active for visible light in the wavelength range of 380 to 700 nm, and can also be active for UV in the wavelength range of 100 to 280 nm. In addition, the internal receiving portion (310) of the lower cover (300) can have an air purification filter (100) installed therein, and is configured in a perforated form so that it can come into contact with the outside air, so that even in an environment without light, holes are generated on the surface of the oxidation catalyst by air circulation, enabling sterilization and deodorization, thereby having the effect of improving air quality.

[0049] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of an air purification module using an air purification filter (100) according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Fig. 4, an air purification module (2000) using an air purification filter (100) according to the present disclosure includes a main body, an air purification filter (100), an inner cover (400), and an optical element arrangement unit (410).

[0050] The main body is formed by combining an upper cover (200) and a lower cover (300), and at this time, the lower cover further includes an air purification filter (100) arranged in an internal receiving portion (310) of the lower cover (300). At this time, the internal receiving portion (310) of the lower cover (300) is configured in a perforated form so that the air purification filter (100) can be installed therein and can come into contact with external air, so that even in an environment without light, holes are generated on the surface of the oxidation catalyst by air circulation, thereby improving air quality.

[0051] In addition, the interior of the main body includes an inner cover (400) disposed on the surface of the air purification filter (100) and an optical element arrangement portion (410) in which an optical element is arranged on the inner cover (400). At this time, the inner cover (400) further includes an optical element arranged on the optical element arrangement portion (410), and the optical element may be an LED light source (500) having a visible light wavelength range of 380 to 700 nm or a UV wavelength range of 100 to 280 nm. In addition, the inner cover (400) further includes a fixing cover (600) for fixing the optical element. The light source (500) disposed on the optical element arrangement portion (410) can be fixed by the fixing cover (600), and thus can be in closer contact with the air purification filter (100). By this configuration, the sterilizing and deodorizing ability and air purifying ability of the air purifying filter (100) can be further improved by an optical element having a UV wavelength range or a visible light wavelength range having sterilizing power.

[0052] Next, an air purification filter (100) according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a carrier and a catalyst layer (110). The carrier is formed of a metal foam containing an adsorbent material. The carrier is formed with a plurality of pores therein and may have various shapes, including a mesh. In addition, it may be formed of a metal foam or a material having elastic properties. The carrier in the present disclosure is formed of a metal foam containing an adsorbent material. In addition, the adsorbent material is selected from any one of zeolite, activated carbon, silica gel, metal organic framework, activated alumina, and metal oxide. In this case, pores are formed in the metal foam, and the size of the pores formed in the metal foam is formed to be 1,200 to 3,000 μm. Since the pores of the metal foam have the above-mentioned size, an appropriate air flow rate can be secured, and thus the air purification function can be further improved. In addition, an adsorbent material may be further added to the metal foam. The adsorbent material can be composed of any one of activated carbon, zeolite, silica gel, activated alumina, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Activated carbon is characterized by its high surface area and adsorption capacity, and zeolite has the characteristic of being able to selectively adsorb specific molecules due to its fine porous structure. In addition, silica gel has high hygroscopicity, and activated alumina is a porous adsorbent made of aluminum oxide that can be used for moisture absorption and as a catalyst. In addition, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have a very high surface area and selective adsorption capacity. In this case, the metal foam may include one selected from nickel, iron, chromium, aluminum, copper, tungsten, SUS, titanium, silver, and combinations thereof.In the present disclosure, the photocatalyst is selected from any one of titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), cadmium sulfide (CdS), tungsten oxide (WO₃), silicon oxide (SiO₂), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃). In addition, the present disclosure further includes an oxidation reaction catalyst during the synthesis of the photocatalyst. The oxidation reaction catalyst may be composed of a noble metal, and is selected from any one of gold (Au), iridium (Ir), and ruthenium (Ru). In addition, the oxidation reaction catalyst may be composed of a transition metal, and is selected from any one of copper-manganese nitrate (Mn(NO3)2, Cu(NO3)2), copper-manganese (Cu-Mn), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe).

[0053] The catalyst layer (110) is formed by coating the surface of the carrier with a photocatalyst containing an oxidation reaction catalyst. Accordingly, in the present disclosure, the photocatalyst can be synthesized by including a noble metal oxidation catalyst, a transition metal oxidation catalyst, or a noble metal oxidation catalyst and a transition metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst. The method for manufacturing the photocatalyst and the noble metal oxidation catalyst, or the noble metal photocatalyst and the transition metal oxidation catalyst, or the photocatalyst and the noble metal oxidation catalyst and the transition metal oxidation catalyst can be manufactured by liquefying the solution by a sol-gel method or a hydrothermal synthesis method, and coating the metal foam carrier on the manufactured solution and drying it to finally manufacture the air purification filter (100).

[0054] The photocatalyst is selected from titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), cadmium sulfide (CdS), tungsten oxide (WO₃), silicon oxide (SiO₂), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃). In addition, the oxidation reaction catalyst is composed of a noble metal, and the noble metal can be selected from any one of gold (Au), iridium (Ir), and ruthenium (Ru). In addition, the oxidation reaction catalyst can also be composed of a transition metal, and the transition metal can be selected from any one of copper-manganese nitrate (Mn(NO3)2, Cu(NO3)2), copper-manganese (Cu-Mn), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe).

[0055] In addition, the noble metal oxidation reaction catalyst in the present disclosure may be selected from gold (Au), and the transition metal oxidation reaction catalyst may be selected from copper-manganese (Cu-Mn). As described above, by including a noble metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, or including a transition metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, or synthesizing the photocatalyst by including a noble metal oxidation catalyst and a transition metal oxidation catalyst, it may be active for visible light in the wavelength range of 380 to 700 nm, and may also be active for UV in the wavelength range of 100 to 280 nm. At this time, the air purification module according to the present disclosure further includes a fixing cover (600) that fixes the optical element to the inner cover (400), and the light source (500) arranged in the optical element arrangement (410) can be fixed by the fixing cover (600), thereby being in closer contact with the air purification filter (100). In addition, the light source (500) is configured to have a UV wavelength range or a visible light wavelength range that has sterilizing power, and by this configuration, the sterilizing and deodorizing ability and the air purifying ability of the air purifying filter (100) can be further improved. In addition, the inner receiving part (310) of the lower cover (300) of the air purifying module according to the present disclosure can have an air purifying filter (100) installed therein, and is configured in a perforated form so that it can come into contact with the outside air, so that even in an environment without light, holes are generated on the surface of the oxidation catalyst by air circulation, thereby improving air quality.

[0056] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an air purification module including an air purification filter (100) according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. The air purification module (3000) according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure of FIG. 5 further includes a PCB (700) and a connector connection portion (710) provided on the PCB (700) in the second embodiment of FIG. 4, and thus can be used even inside a vehicle where sterilization, deodorization, and air purification are required.

[0057] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a lower cover (300) equipped with an air purification filter (100) according to the present disclosure. The lower cover of the air purification module according to the present disclosure is provided with an internal receiving portion (310) capable of accommodating the air purification filter (100), and an air purification filter (100) fixing portion (320) is additionally provided so that the air purification filter (100) can be fixed when the air purification filter (100) is accommodated in the internal receiving portion (310).

[0058] In addition, the internal receiving portion (310) of the lower cover (300) is configured in the form of a hole so that the air purification filter (100) can come into contact with the outside air. In addition, the catalyst layer (110) of the air purification filter (100) may be selected as gold (Au) as the noble metal oxidation reaction catalyst, and the transition metal oxidation reaction catalyst may be selected as copper-manganese (Cu-Mn). As described above, by including a noble metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, or including a transition metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, or including a noble metal oxidation catalyst and a transition metal oxidation catalyst in the photocatalyst, the air purification filter (100) can come into contact with the outside air through the internal receiving portion (310) accommodated in the lower cover (300) even without a light source (500) such as UV or visible light, thereby enabling sterilization, deodorization, and air purification.

[0059] FIG. 7 is a graph showing the results of the deodorization performance of an air purification module equipped with an air purification filter (100) according to the present disclosure, and is a graph comparing the formaldehyde gas removal rate over time. The oxidation catalyst A is (Zeolite + TiO2) + Au, and the pore size formed in the metal foam at this time is 1,200 μm. The oxidation catalyst B is (Zeolite + TiO2) + Cu + Mn, and the pore size formed in the metal foam at this time is 1,200 μm. In addition, the pore size formed in the metal foam of the mass-produced visible light catalyst #2 is 1,200 μm. Referring to FIG. 7, regardless of the presence or absence of a light source (500) such as an LED, the metal foam coated with the oxidation catalyst ((Zeolite + TiO2) + Cu + Mn), which is the oxidation catalyst B, exhibited a deodorization performance comparable to that of the existing mass-produced visible light catalyst. In particular, when gold nanoparticles were added to the basic catalyst composition, it was found that the deodorizing performance was improved by approximately 12% compared to existing mass-produced products.

[0060] FIG. 8 is a graph showing the results of the floating bacteria removal performance of an air purification module equipped with an air purification filter (100) according to the present disclosure, and is a graph comparing the floating bacteria removal rate over time. The oxidation catalyst A is Ze-TiO2-Au, and referring to FIG. 8, it can be seen that the floating bacteria removal performance of the oxidation catalyst filter is superior to that of an identical catalyst sample of an existing mass-produced product.

[0061] The above description is merely an example of applying the principles of the present disclosure, and other configurations may be included without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0062] The present disclosure relates to an air purification filter and an air purification module including the same, which can effectively remove harmful substances in the air even in an environment without a light source such as UV or visible light by including a precious metal oxidation catalyst or a transition metal oxidation catalyst in a photocatalyst or synthesizing them together, and by coating a photocatalyst including an oxidation reaction catalyst on the surface of a metal foam carrier, the filter can perform sterilization, deodorization, and air purification functions through the generation of positive holes and active oxygen species even in a closed space, and can be applied to various environments such as vehicle HVAC systems to improve air quality, and by optimizing the catalyst composition and pore structure, formaldehyde removal and airborne bacteria suppression performance are improved, thereby contributing to infection prevention and creation of a pleasant indoor environment, thereby overcoming the limitations of existing photocatalyst-based systems and having high potential for use across industries as a purification device with energy efficiency and ease of maintenance.

Claims

1. A carrier formed of metal foam; A catalyst layer coated with a photocatalyst containing an oxidation reaction catalyst on the surface of the carrier; Air purifying filter including.

2. In paragraph 1, the carrier is An air purifying filter containing an adsorbent material.

3. In paragraph 1, The above metal foam has pores formed, An air purifying filter in which the size of the pores formed in the above metal foam is 1,200 to 3,000㎛.

4. In the second paragraph, the adsorbent material is An air purifying filter selected from among activated carbon, zeolite, silica gel, activated alumina, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).

5. In paragraph 1, the photocatalyst, An air purifying filter selected from any one of titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), cadmium sulfide (CdS), tungsten oxide (WO₃), silicon oxide (SiO₂), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃).

6. In paragraph 1, the oxidation reaction catalyst is It is composed of precious metals, The above precious metals are, An air purifying filter selected from among gold (Au), iridium (Ir), and ruthenium (Ru).

7. In paragraph 1, the oxidation reaction catalyst is It is composed of transition metals, The above transition metal is, An air purifying filter selected from among copper-manganese nitrate (Mn(NO3)2, Cu(NO3)2), copper-manganese (Cu-Mn), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe).

8. A body formed by combining the upper cover and the lower cover; and The air purification filter, which includes an air purification filter disposed in the inner receiving portion of the lower cover, A carrier formed of metal foam; and A catalyst layer coated with a photocatalyst containing an oxidation reaction catalyst on the surface of the carrier; An air purification module comprising:

9. In paragraph 8, the carrier, It is formed of metal foam containing an absorbent material, An air purification module in which the metal foam has pores formed therein, and the size of the pores formed in the metal foam is 1,200 to 3,000 μm.

10. In paragraph 8, the photocatalyst, An air purification module selected from any one of titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), cadmium sulfide (CdS), tungsten oxide (WO₃), silicon oxide (SiO₂), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃).

11. In paragraph 8, the oxidation reaction catalyst is It is composed of precious metals, The above precious metals are, An air purification module selected from among gold (Au), iridium (Ir), and ruthenium (Ru).

12. In paragraph 9, the oxidation reaction catalyst is It is composed of transition metals, The above transition metal is, An air purification module selected from among copper-manganese nitrate (Mn(NO3)2, Cu(NO3)2), copper-manganese (Cu-Mn), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe).

13. In any one of paragraphs 8 to 12, the air purification module, An air purification module further comprising an optical element.

14. In Paragraph 13, the optical element is, An air purification module having a visible light wavelength range of 380 to 700 nm or a UV wavelength range of 100 to 280 nm.

15. In the 13th paragraph, the air purification module, An inner cover placed on the surface of the above air purification module and An air purification module further comprising an optical element arrangement section in which optical elements are arranged in the inner cover.

16. In paragraph 15, the inner cover, An air purification module comprising a fixing cover for fixing the optical element.

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