Flexible Nanoporous Template for the Design and Development of Reusable Anti-COVID-19 Hydrophobic Face Masks
Type
ArticleKAUST Department
Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE) DivisionElectrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering Program
Integrated Nanotechnology Lab
KAUST Grant Number
OSR-2015-Sensors-2707OSR-2016-KKI-2880.
Date
2020-05-20Online Publication Date
2020-05-20Print Publication Date
2020-06-23Embargo End Date
2021-05-20Submitted Date
2020-05-12Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/10754/662934
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Since the outbreak of the severe respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the use of face masks has become ubiquitous worldwide to control the rapid spread of this pandemic. As a result, the world is currently facing a face mask shortage, and some countries have placed limits on the number of masks that can be bought by each person. Although the surgical grade N95 mask provides the highest level of protection currently available, its filtration efficiency for sub-300 nm particles is around 85% due to its wider pore size (∼300 nm). Because the COVID-19 virus shows a diameter of around 65-125 nm, there is a need for developing more efficient masks. To overcome these issues, we demonstrate the development of a flexible, nanoporous membrane to achieve a reusable N95 mask with a replaceable membrane and enhanced filtration efficiency. We first developed a flexible nanoporous Si-based template on a silicon-on-insulator wafer using KOH etching and then used the template as a hard mask during a reactive ion etching process to transfer the patterns onto a flexible and lightweight (<0.12 g) polymeric membrane. Pores with sizes down to 5 nm were achieved with a narrow distribution. Theoretical calculations show that airflow rates above 85 L/min are possible through the mask, which confirms its breathability over a wide range of pore sizes, densities, membrane thicknesses, and pressure drops. Finally, the membrane is intrinsically hydrophobic, which contributes to antifouling and self-cleaning as a result of droplets rolling and sliding on the inclined mask area.Citation
El-Atab, N., Qaiser, N., Badghaish, H., Shaikh, S. F., & Hussain, M. M. (2020). Flexible Nanoporous Template for the Design and Development of Reusable Anti-COVID-19 Hydrophobic Face Masks. ACS Nano. doi:10.1021/acsnano.0c03976Sponsors
This publication is based upon work supported by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) under Award No. Sensor Innovation Initiative OSR-2015-Sensors-2707 and KAUSTKFUPM Special Initiative OSR-2016-KKI-2880. The authors would like to acknowledge Prof. Aftab Hussain, Prof. Jhonathan Prieto Rojas, and Dr. Galo Torres Sevilla and Maurilio Matracia who have worked on the release of the template.Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)Journal
ACS NanoPubMed ID
32432461PubMed Central ID
PMC7243426Additional Links
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.0c03976ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1021/acsnano.0c03976
Scopus Count
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