Ahlstrom has extended its innovative fluoro-free technologies into a wide range of industrial air filtration applications to support filter manufacturers in creating products with long-lasting filtration performance without the use of fluorochemicals.

Ahlstrom’s new fluoro-free filtration materials are ideal for gas turbine air intake, air pollution control, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) applications. The new range of materials offers water-repellent properties, which increase the durability and stability of the final filter in wet conditions. In global filtration markets, hydrophobic properties are essential to maintaining the highest filtration performance in challenging environments.

In air pollution control applications, for example, hydrophobic materials save energy by limiting the pressure drop increase in humid conditions. Specifically, in gas turbine applications, water repellency prevents liquid water ingress and dissolved salt penetration through a filter, protecting the turbine from corrosion, the company said in a press release.

“We are continuously innovating new solutions that are safe and sustainable by design, and launching our fluoro-free portfolio for industrial air filtration applications is another important step forward in enabling our customers to transition away from fluorochemistries,” said Tamara Quatrano, vice-president, R&D and product development, filtration. “We are paving the way for a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable future for filtration by offering our customers alternative fluoro-free solutions that meet their performance requirements.”

The new fluoro-free filtration materials are available globally, and the products are served through Ahlstrom Trinitex, CellTech, and Glass production platforms.