Non-woven materials for cloth-based face masks inserts: relationship between material properties and sub-micron aerosol filtration

Abstract

Current guidance by leading public health agencies recommends wearing a 3-layer cloth-based face mask with a middle non-woven material insert to reduce the transmission of infectious respiratory viruses like SARS-CoV-2....

UVC LED and Conducting Yarn-Based Heater for a Smart Germicidal Face Mask to Protect against Airborne Viruses

“…Common filtration efficiency was checked in the range of 1-5-micron aerosol sizes [24] as it covers the majority of human-viable infectious viruses in aerosols. We have conducted the ASTM F2101-19 Standard Test Method for Evaluating the Medical Face Mask Materials, Using a Biological Aerosol of Staphylococcus aureus.…”

“…It is also physically interpreted. To study the cytotoxicity, TiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles were dyed at various concentration levels: 1%, 2%, and 3% shades of the fabrics with reactive remazol dyes, along with nanoparticles concentration ranges (0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.03% weight of the fabric) [15,16,24]. The modification in morphology and their effect on the viability of skin cell lines are analyzed.…”

Fitted filtration efficiency and breathability of 2-ply cotton masks: Identification of cotton consumer categories acceptable for home-made cloth mask construction

“…However, non-commercial home sewn masks lack the standardization of materials and design leading to uncertainties in their real-world performance relative to certified medical masks. As such these types of face coverings are recommended for use by the public under low-risk, non-professional applications [ 22 ] in conjunction with multiple health and safety precautions that include maintaining physical distancing, frequent hand hygiene, and adherence to local health advice and restrictions including indoor building capacity limits, participation in COVID-19 testing programs, contact tracing and self-isolation, and community vaccination programs. Prior to the pandemic there were limited studies exploring performance characteristics of common commercial fabrics that the public could source and use in the construction of home-made cloth masks as alternatives to commercial PPE [ 23 – 31 ].…”

“…In addition, many synthetic fabrics can hold an electrical charge that aids in the retention of very small, nanometer-sized particles that are particularly difficult for cottons and other natural fabrics to remove [ 45 ]. As such, a number of researchers recommend masks be made out of a combination of hydrophobic (e.g., polyesters and polypropylene) and natural fabrics such as cotton [ 13 , 22 , 23 , 42 , 44 , 45 ].…”

“…Although a growing number of studies have reported on filtration efficiencies for aerosolized particles by different types of cottons [ 4 , 22 , 38 , 41 , 42 , 45 – 48 ] and cotton mask quantitative fit testing [ 24 – 26 , 34 , 39 , 44 ], many of these studies have tested only a small number of cottons as part of wider exploratory analysis of different material types that include both natural and synthetic fabrics. Furthermore, it can be difficult for home sewists who want to construct their own cloth mask to identify and source high-performance filtration materials given that fabric characteristics described by researchers are often not identified on labels of consumer goods, or when such materials are procured as used goods without any kind of consumer label information attached to them [ 42 , 49 ].…”