High Efficiency Hydrophobic Three-Layered Facemask  (Other Technologies)

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To combat pandemic COVID-19, protection and the control measures are the key factors. In this regard, wearing of facemask is highly desirable personal protective equipment not only for frontline worriers but also for common people. We must think about the technoeconomic solution apart from the quality of the product. Keeping these in mind, CSIR–CMERI has developed a low-cost but high efficiency three-layered facemask, which is believed to be efficient enough to provide much needed protection.

The facemask is composed of two hydrophobic non-woven polypropylene (PP) layers in the outer and inner side and a 'High Efficiency Particulate Air' filter in the middle. While the hydrophobic PP layer will restrict the contaminated droplets to enter or transmit, inside filter is capable to restrict particulates of as small as 0.3 μm effectively. The FESEM images in Figure 2 show the distribution of polypropylene fibers in the inner and outer layer of the developed face mask and inner layer contains very dense distribution of nonwoven fibers. It is anticipated that such distributions of fibers and choice of filter components will give rise to high efficiency facemasks.