US Patent 8172925 - Air filter with antimicrobial nanoparticles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8172925.html

This patent from Korea Institute of Science and Technology teaches an improvement to air filters used in vehicles in which metal nanoparticles are used as an antimicrobial agent. Claim 1 reads:

1. A multi-functional cabin air filter, comprising:

a dust collecting filter layer for collecting fine dust;

an oxidation catalyst filter layer for oxidizing nitrogen monoxide into nitrogen dioxide; and

an adsorption filter layer for adsorbing nitrogen dioxide and volatile organic compounds,

wherein antimicrobial nanoparticles are applied to at least one of the dust collecting filter layer, the oxidation catalyst filter layer and the adsorption filter layer.