CactusNext — NextMaterials, 2012 (patented)
Antibacterial air filters in cardboard
At the heart of the CactusNext project is the idea of not so much incorporating the purification filter within an object, as is commonly done, but instead to make the filter the object itself, eliminating everything non-essential. The result is an object with a simple design but which is the result of a series of high-tech processes with low environmental impact.
After the cardboard cutting and assembly stage, there follows a sterilization process using gamma rays and then a treatment process developed and patented by NextMaterials, a spin-off of the Polytechnic of Milan, thanks to which the corrugated cardboard acquires antibacterial properties, becoming an effective mechanical barrier against pollutants. Combining treated cardboard filters with low voltage fans the cacti are transformed into devices that can significantly reduce the bacterial load and solid particles (i.e. the smallest element in the atmosphere) in the air improving air quality in any public or private setting. The modular design of CactusNext ensures low-noise operation and low power consumption, in addition to the remarkable ease of assembly and disassembly. Thanks to the use of corrugated cardboard, production costs are very low and the product is completely recyclable.
