Wool technology the answer in personal respirators

by Rich Bowden - Jun 24 2008, 20:07

Australia's national government science organisation, the Commonwealth,Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), in partnership with Australian Wool Innovation Ltd. and Michell Pty Ltd, has developed new wool textile technology for use in personal respirators.

Image: Dr Jurg Schutz. Credit: CSIRO

Developed originally for industrial air filters, the technology consists of a combination of wool and synthetic fibres and tests have shown it to be superior to that of currently available respiratory products according to CSIRO Textile and Fibre Technology scientist, and leader of the project, Dr Jurg Schutz.“The secret to efficient fibre-based filtration is the application of an electrostatic charge to the fibres during production of the non-woven filter mat,” he says. “These electrostatic charges attract dust and pollutant particles, and hold them in the filter, greatly improving efficiency.”The project was carried out with the financial assistance of Michell Pty Ltd, one of Australia's largest exporters of wool products who said they had secured an order for 500,000 of the wool/synthetic respirators and refill cartridges.“This proves that while the transfer of laboratory technology to successful commercial manufacturing is a very high-risk process, collaborations between CSIRO, AWI and Michell Pty Ltd can result in commercial success,” Mr Michell says.The CSIRO says it is researching further applications for the wool-rich fibres in industrial filter technology saying wool is now beginning to regain the market share it lost to synthetics decades ago.

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