Auburn’s Center for Microfibrous Materials Manufacturing has been awarded
a $3.2 million grant from the Office of Naval Research to study and develop advanced air filters for fuel cell systems. To remove airborne contaminants, fuel cell filters must operate efficiently while allowing air to pass through them with a minimal drop in pressure. We take our clean air for granted much of the time, and Bruce Tatarchuk, the center’s director and a faculty member in chemical engineering, believes his research in fuel cell filtration can also be used to develop improved filters for homes and offices, creating jobs in Alabama, as well as improving air quality and reducing airborne contaminants that cause allergies and respiratory diseases.