Micropore controlled ceramic filter with mullite whiskers for filtering non-exhaust particulate matter from road transport

Abstract

The transportation sector is high contributor of atmospheric particulate matter (PM). PM from this sector is classified as exhaust and non-exhaust PM. The development of catalytic filters such as diesel particulate filters and eco-friendly automobiles such as electric vehicles has significantly reduced exhaust PM generation. By contrast, non-exhaust PM from various sources such as brake disk abrasion, tire wear, and road dust rediffusion continues to rise owing to the increasing demand for vehicles. The increasing levels of PM and various air pollutants have increased the need for effective filters. This study investigated the manufacturing process and filtering performance of porous ceramic filters for reducing non-exhaust PM generated from road transport. Porous ceramic filters with mullite whiskers were fabricated through the replica template method, using MoO3 as the catalyst. Pore size of ceramic filter was controlled to improve the filtering performance. The applicability of the ceramic filter for filtering non-exhaust PM from road transport was also examined by measuring the pressure drop. The fabricated porous ceramic filter exhibited high filtering performances of 82% for PM2.5 and 97% for PM10. Pressure drop of ceramic filter was 80 Pa when pores of different sizes were optimized.