- A ‘bio-inspired super-adhesive filter’ has been tested by Korean scientists
- It uses oil, mimics ‘mucus -covered nose hair’ for better filtration of dust
- Your PC could be much more dust-free in the future as a result if this ever comes to execute with mesh case filters
Dust filters aimed at preventing particles from entering your desktop PC or laptop can take a big leap forward in the future thanks to an invention that models itself after the human nose.
The ‘bio-inspired super-adhesive filter’ has been tested by Korean scientists, and it is essentially an oil-plated network that more effectively stops dust or other infiltrating particles in their tracks.
A paper in the journal Nature, author of Chung-Aang University researchers in South Korea (as highlighted by Tom’s Hardware), explains the invention is “inspired by the natural filtration skills in mucus-covered nose hair,” which does not evoke the most comfortable of images.
The reality is that it is a ‘biomimetic filter’ with a thin fluid coating, and just as with nasal hair, it helps fluid to catch invading particles more effectively when they adhere to it. Or as the paper puts it: “When PM [particulate matter] Meets the slimy, a meniscus former that generates strong adhesion by capillarity. “
The result of this oil -based filter mimics should be a more dust -free computer. And while researchers are primarily targeted at household or industrial air filtration systems, the technology could be used for everything where a dust filter is needed, including the humble PC.
The filters use a “thin, uniform silicone oil layer” that is sprayed on, and they catch significantly more particles than traditional efforts and are effective in 2-3x longer, we are told.
To expand their usable lifespan, the filters can be washed, dried and oil applied by simply spraying it on (with a non-toxic oil that is obviously used).
Analysis: Maybe snot
Should we prepare for the cooler Masterslim 5N0T PC case, then? Well, maybe not, but this innovation can have serious benefits for the computers world.
A balance with the typical desktop PC case or portable chassis is required, as they need lots of ventilation openings to keep the components inside cool. However, a lot of space for air means moving through to cooling much more dust that potentially enters the PC.
Traditional masks try to catch it dust, but don’t always do much of a good job. Of course they help, but if you look inside your PC (through the glass window on the side, if it has one), you may notice it is pretty dusty in there.
After a few years, dust can accumulate in a significant amount, especially around the CPU fan and probably also the graphics card if you do not clean in your PC case. And let’s be honest, most of us are too good to postpone when it comes to that kind of PC household (I know I am).
New filters that depend on oil can be a real blessing in keeping your PC much more dust -free throughout its lifetime, perhaps eliminating the need for any cleaning on everyone one day – or at least making this task a far more rare task.
If all this speech has inspired you to clean up your PC, do it very carefully (using a can of compressed air), and be sure to look at some good advice on how to do this properly (without damaging fans). This is especially the case with laptops, and I would not recommend trying to open a notebook case to clean inside, for anyone than the most technically savvy readers.
