Armenian Students Turn Corn Husks Into an Award-Winning Biodegradable Air Filter

Three Armenian students have received a special prize at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists in Germany for developing a biodegradable, self-cleaning air filter made from corn husks.

Hayk Ghazaryan, Tigran Avanyan and Hovhannes Manukyan, students at the Ayb Educational Foundation, received the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking Prize, or CBE JU Prize, for their project “Airify.”

The students developed an air filter using biomass from corn husks, an agricultural byproduct that would otherwise have limited use. Their design combines the biodegradable material with titanium dioxide and silver nanoparticles produced through a green synthesis process. The project is intended to create a more sustainable alternative to conventional air filtration materials.

The award was presented during the 37th European Union Contest for Young Scientists, held Sept. 22-27 in Kiel, Germany. The annual competition, organized by the European Commission, is one of Europe’s largest international science events for young researchers.

Armenia sent two projects to this year’s competition, both selected through the Armenian National Science Festival for Schoolchildren.

The second Armenian team presented “Smart Bioplastic,” developed by Garik Panikyan and Narek Papoyan, students at the Vanadzor Special School for Advanced Studies in Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

EUCYS has been held since 1989, bringing together students to present original research before scientists and an international jury. This year’s event was organized with Kiel University and drew about 150 participants ages 14 to 20 from nearly 40 countries.

The prize in Germany marks another international recognition this year for a student who took part in Armenia’s national school science festival.

In May, Albert Shahinyan, a 12th-grade student at the National Polytechnic University of Armenia’s Yerevan High School, won a third-place award in physics and astronomy at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix.

The annual U.S. competition brings together high school students from around the world to present research in science and engineerin

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