A Materials Revolution: Air Purifiers Enter the Era of “Self-Regenerating” Catalytic Filters

Between 2024 and 2025, the competitive focus of the air purifier industry has shifted decisively away from fans and CADR ratings toward microscopic innovation in filter media materials. Leading brands are no longer satisfied with simple “adsorption.” Instead, they are pursuing room-temperature catalytic decomposition and material self-regeneration at the filter level, aiming to deliver long-term solutions approaching near-zero consumable costs for end users.

1. Evolution and Competition Among Mainstream Catalytic Technologies

At present, room-temperature catalytic decomposition of formaldehyde has converged into three major technological pathways, all undergoing continuous optimization:

Precious Metal Catalysis (Platinum, Palladium, etc.)
Represented by technologies such as Dyson’s manganese-based catalytic systems and Terramont’s 3DHIVE aldehyde-removal technology. Recent advances focus on nano-structural engineering to enlarge reaction surface area, along with the introduction of auxiliary components that enhance resistance to humidity and organic poisoning. These improvements significantly extend catalyst lifespan in complex indoor environments.

Molecular Sieve Adsorption–Catalysis
Exemplified by Honeywell’s HiSiv technology. Next-generation materials maintain high selectivity for formaldehyde molecules while embedding catalytic active sites within pore channel walls, enabling rapid in-situ decomposition after adsorption. This approach substantially increases the material’s dynamic capacity.

Commercial Exploration of Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs)
With their exceptionally high specific surface area and tunable pore structures, MOFs represent an ideal platform for high-efficiency adsorption and catalysis. In 2025, several Chinese laboratory-driven brands began limited commercial deployment of customized MOF materials in premium product lines, claiming significantly improved initial formaldehyde removal rates and long-term stability compared to conventional materials. This milestone marks a critical transition of MOFs from laboratory research to real-world application.

2. Breakthrough Progress in “Self-Regenerating” Technologies

The ultimate goal of “long-lasting performance” is permanence. Some companies are now pursuing disruptive designs:

Photonic Regeneration Technologies
Certain catalysts can decompose adsorbed intermediates under light exposure at specific wavelengths, restoring active sites. Users may partially recover filter performance by periodically exposing filters to sunlight, thereby extending replacement intervals.

Electrothermal Regeneration Technologies
A more advanced concept involves integrating micron-scale conductive fibers or coatings within the filter media. By applying a safe low voltage via app control, mild heating is generated, promoting VOC desorption and subsequent catalytic decomposition in downstream layers. This enables periodic self-cleaning cycles of the filter.

3. From Single-Pollutant Targeting to Broad-Spectrum Synergistic Purification

In response to complex indoor air pollution—including formaldehyde, TVOCs, odors, bacteria, and viruses—modern filter designs emphasize multi-layer structuring and functional synergy, for example:

• Layer 1: High-efficiency interception of dust and hair

• Layer 2: High-iodine-value activated carbon for broad-spectrum adsorption of TVOCs and odors

• Layer 3 (Core): Catalytic decomposition materials targeting hard-to-remove gaseous pollutants such as formaldehyde

• Layer 4: Electret or antibacterial-coated melt-blown fabric for microbial inactivation

These layers are not merely stacked. Through optimized airflow design and materials engineering, pollutants are treated sequentially, preventing premature saturation of any single layer.

Industry Impact

This materials revolution is fundamentally reshaping consumer cost structures and user experience while significantly raising technological barriers within the industry. Future competition will increasingly hinge on deep collaboration between advanced chemical materials laboratories and appliance manufacturers. The core of air purifiers is evolving into a continuously operating “miniature environmental chemical reactor.”