Post SARS-COVID-19 pandemic, higher MERV-rated filters are increasingly used to capture airborne contaminants, but their integration into existing HVAC systems often results in elevated airflow resistance, complex installations, and increased maintenance requirements. These factors contribute to higher capital investments and operational costs, posing challenges to widespread adoption.

This study introduces the economic impact on energy usage in a typical office building using a patented silver-graphene oxide (AgGO) coated MERV-A 9-A (M9AZG) versus a regular MERV-A 9-A (M9A). Such estimations are derived using the particle filtration and viral filtration efficiency (VFE) results of M9AZG and M9A.

Experimental analysis using Phi6 as a surrogate virus demonstrates that M9AZG filters achieve an average increase in viral filtration efficiency of 57.7% over six months under typical dust loading conditions, compared to equivalent uncoated filters. Notably, the VFE improves with progressive dust loading, M9AZG filters achieving an efficiency of 83.6% versus 55.2% in control filters after six months. This indicates the coating's sustained effectiveness despite particulate matter accumulation on the filter surface. Through the particle filtration efficiency testing, it was confirmed that the coating did not clog the filter and the pressure drops exhibited by these filters were the same as the uncoated filters.

While the mechanism of action is still not fully understood, AgGO is perceived to be enhancing the mechanical filtration phenomenon, along with enhanced attraction from positively charged silver particles. In terms of mechanical filtration: impaction, interception, and diffusion, we believe the latter two are more pronounced as the coating forms rough microstructures and increases the surface area of the filter fibres. This dense porous-like matrix could then be increasing...