We supply two materials that both get proposed for air filtration, and they are not substitutes. Choosing wrongly is the most common way a filtration trial fails, so this page is written to route you correctly rather than to sell you whichever one you asked about first.
| If your problem is… | Microbial growth on the media | Odour molecules in the air stream |
|---|---|---|
| Use | Nano Ag/ZnO concentrate (TL-020604) | ZnO / activated-carbon composite powder |
| Mechanism | Silver and zinc ions suppress bacteria and fungi colonising the media itself | Adsorption onto the carbon's pore structure, plus the zinc oxide surface |
| Form | Waterborne liquid, dosed 0.5–1%, applied by dip or spray | Dry powder, incorporated into or coated onto the media |
| Key specification | Ag 1,200 ppm · ZnO 15,000 ppm · 5–10 nm · BET >200 m²/g | ZnO 66.7% / C 33.3% · ZnO 5.3 nm · C 30 nm · flake |
| It will not | Remove odour that is already in the air stream | Stop biological growth on the media |
A filter that smells because bacteria are growing in the damp media needs the first. A filter that has to remove ammonia, amines or sulphur compounds from the air passing through needs the second. Quite often a design needs both, in which case they are applied at different stages and we will say so.
Which molecule are you trying to remove? “Odour” is not a specification. Ammonia behaves differently from hydrogen sulphide, which behaves differently from amines and from volatile fatty acids. Adsorption capacity, breakthrough time and required loading all change with the target. An enquiry that names the molecule and the concentration gets a useful answer; one that says “deodorising” gets a request for more information, which wastes a week of your time.
Not well. The Ag/ZnO concentrate suppresses growth on the media; the carbon composite adsorbs molecules from the air. If you need both functions, the design usually applies them at different stages rather than trying to make one do everything.
That is usually microbial growth in the damp media, which points to the Ag/ZnO concentrate. But confirm the cause before treating it — if the smell is coming in with the outside air, an antibacterial will not help and you want adsorption instead.
Not for your media and your target molecule, and we will not publish someone else's curve as if it were ours. Tell us the molecule and the conditions and we will discuss an evaluation.
The Ag/ZnO concentrate ships in 20 kg drums. The composite powder is quoted per requirement; evaluation quantities are available.
Tell us your application — a real person replies within 1–2 business days.