Construction of Filtering Respiratory Protective Devices

Abstract

This chapter discusses the filtering respiratory protective devices division. The main production methods of the filter material used most often in the filter half-masks and particle filters, i.e., classical needling technology (needle punching); spunlace (hydroentanglement technology); thermobond, chemobond and spunbond technology; and melt-blown technology, were described. The phenomenon of excitation or accumulation of electrostatic charges is discussed on the example of the materials subject to triboelectric or corona charging. The directions of melt-blown technology development were presented in order to obtain new, innovative and multifunctional polymer materials directly from polymer alloys, with special attention paid to the innovative design of the fiber-forming head. The methods for modifying polymeric materials were discussed to obtain the best filtration properties in the pneumothermic fleece-forming process through the (i) introduction of modifiers in the form of mineral materials with different electrostatic potentials, directly into the plastic polymer stream during the formation of elementary fibers; (ii) introduction of organic modifiers into the structure of polymeric fibers; (iii) insertion of POSS (polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane) nanogranules into the polymer matrix and modification of the nonwoven fabric with plasma generated under atmospheric pressure (corona discharge); and (iv) low-temperature plasma modification. Protective and operational parameters of filter materials commonly used in respiratory protective devices are provided. Filtering material intended for the construction of respiratory protective devices against nano- and microaerosols within the range of protective and operational parameters is described. The characteristics of filtering respiratory protective devices against nanoaerosols and directions of its development were presented. * * *