A new adhesive coating developed by researchers at Pusan National University and Chung-Ang University has improved air filtration efficiency by up to 30% while nearly doubling the lifespan of commercial filters.

The technology uses a dynamic imine bond adhesive (DIBA) coating that continuously renews its sticky surface as captured particles become embedded in the material, helping prevent them from being released back into the air.

Researchers found that the coating increased particle adhesion by nearly 70-fold and improved filtration efficiency by 10–30% across several commercial filter materials without increasing pressure drop.

The findings, published in Advanced Materials, also showed that the coated filters could operate under airflow speeds of up to 20 metres per second and delay pore clogging compared with conventional filters.

The technology could potentially be applied to existing commercial filtration systems, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, home air purifiers, industrial dust collectors, cleanrooms, automotive cabin filters and personal protective equipment.

Dynamic coating improves particle retention

Air filters are designed to capture airborne particles, but particles can become detached from conventional filter materials and re-enter the air. The researchers aimed to address this problem by developing an adhesive coating capable of continuously maintaining contact with captured particles.

The study was led by Professor Sanghyuk Wooh from Chung-Ang University and Professor Chae Bin Kim from Pusan National University.

The team developed DIBA by crosslinking polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through dynamic Schiff base chemistry. The resulting material combines the solid structure needed to remain attached to a filter with adhesive properties that help capture and retain particles.

When airborne particles are captured, they form capillary-driven adhesive bridges with the coating and gradually sink into the adhesive layer. This process exposes new adhesive surfaces, allowing the material to continue capturing particles over time.

The researchers applied a thin layer of DIBA to commercially available air filter media using a spray-coating process before assessing the material’s chemical, mechanical and adhesive properties.

They also tested filtration efficiency, pressure drop, particle resuspension, performance under high-speed airflow and long-term durability.

The results showed that the DIBA coating increased particle adhesion by nearly 70-fold. Filtration efficiency improved by between 10% and 30% across the commercial filter materials tested, with no increase in pressure drop.

The researchers reported that the coating could improve filter performance from minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) 6 to MERV 11.

The coated filters also maintained particulate matter capture under airflow speeds of up to 20 metres per second and delayed pore clogging, extending filter lifespan by nearly two times compared with conventional filters.

Coating could be added to existing filters

The researchers said the spray-coating process could make the technology compatible with existing commercial filter materials without requiring a complete redesign of filtration systems.

Chae Bin Kim, associate professor in the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering at Pusan National University, said: “This technology could improve a wide range of filtration systems where both high capture efficiency and long operational lifetime are important, including HVAC systems, home air purifiers, industrial dust collectors, cleanrooms, automotive cabin filters, and personal protective equipment.”

The technology could therefore have applications across domestic, healthcare, industrial and transport settings where maintaining filtration performance over extended periods is important.

The researchers also believe the dynamic adhesive approach could potentially be adapted for applications beyond air filtration.

Sanghyuk Wooh, associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Chung-Ang University, said: “The dynamic adhesive concept could enable next-generation filtration systems that capture pollutants more efficiently, require less energy, and operate significantly longer before replacement.”

The researchers suggested that the same principles could potentially be explored in water purification, environmental remediation, dust-free manufacturing and advanced particle handling.

The study, titled A Super-Adhesive Air Filter With Capillarity-Mediated Spontaneous Particle Absorption via Dynamic Bond Exchange, was published in Advanced Materials.

By combining dynamic adhesive chemistry with commercially available filter materials, the researchers said the approach could provide a route to improving particle capture without increasing airflow resistance.

The findings could support the development of longer-lasting filtration technologies that require less frequent replacement while maintaining performance, although further research will be needed to establish how the coating performs across different real-world filtration environments and over extended periods of use.