Abstract
Face masks in general, and N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FRs) that protect against SARS-Cov-2 virion in particular, have become scarce during the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic. This work presents practical design principles for the fabrication of electrocharged filtration layers employed in N95 FRs using commonly available materials and easily replicable methods. The input polymer is polypropylene or polystyrene, and can include discarded plastic containers of these materials, and the fabrication set-up is based on the cotton candy (CC) principle. The primary parameters underlying the CC principle are translated to simple design rules that allow anyone to construct their own fabrication system from common parts, or employ a commercial CC machine with minimal modifications. Finally, basic characterization results for structural and filtration properties of electrocharged fabrics made using the CC principle are detailed.
Highlights
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has witnessed multifold increase in face mask use for protection against viral infection, with many countries mandating face masks in public areas [1]
Test Results: facepiece respirators (FRs) filtration efficiency is usually measured in terms of the penetration percentage (P), defined as percentage of particles present in the environment that pass through the FRs and is quoted against the particle diameters
The first tests were performed on commercial N95 FR and surgical masks (SMs) to obtain baseline calibration readings on the filtration test set-up designed in-house, which would form the comparative standard for tests performed on filtration fabrics manufactured with the cotton candy (CC) method
Summary
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has witnessed multifold increase in face mask use for protection against viral infection, with many countries mandating face masks in public areas [1]. This sudden demand surge has created a scarcity of face masks, necessitating homemade cloth mask fabrication [1]. Neither homemade cloth masks nor surgical masks (SMs) are designed to protect against the SARS-Cov-2 virion, only respirators conforming to N95 or higher standard are rated for such protection.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have