Materials Science and Engineering sophomore student Kairui Lin is donating 100 air purification devices that he co-invented for use on the NUS campus to combat the spread of COVID-19.
"As a member of NUS, it is my duty to assist the school to overcome the pandemic and build a healthy and safe learning environment for students," he said.
Kairui, who hails from Fujian province in China, developed the device after returning home last year as the first waves of pandemic swept the world.
Joining air disinfection technology firm 2D Material Technology, he led a team focused on using the ultrathin material graphene to develop advanced air disinfection technology.
Applying a process known as photocatalytic oxidation, Kairui co-developed the Graphenix device, using 2D's patented graphene-based technology
According to Kairui, the Graphenix pairs air filtration with an innovative cleaning technology that is able to capture and deactivate viruses, bacteria and other airborne organic compounds as the air is exchanged.
He told NUS the device has been tested by independent labs in the US and China and each device can filter and sanitize air within an area of around 30 square metres. It has already sold well in the US and India, Kairui said, and the firm is in talks on further design improvements and expansion into other markets such as car air conditioners.
The Graphenix is not Karui's first invention. In 2018 he won Second Prize and a Special Prize at the 2018 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) finals held in Pittsburg, and had a minor planet named after him for his work in developing an innovative hybrid battery/ supercapacitor device.
As a student, Kairui has also co-authored two papers on advanced battery technology, published in Advanced Materials and the journal Small.
