Mask material technology express - nanomaterials provide stronger protection

Nanomaterials can improve filtration efficiency

Occasional outbreaks of new respiratory diseases around the world have prompted researchers to develop more advanced medical masks to provide greater protection
.

Nanomaterial technology has been widely used in different industries and has also been used in the production of medical masks
.
The results of some academic studies have shown that the use of nanomaterials can provide better filtration, permeability, antibacterial properties and abrasion resistance
.

For example, the NASK nanofiber smart mask researched and designed by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is a thin mask manufactured using patented nanofiber technology, which provides high protection for N95 masks and the comfort of a surgical mask
.

Nanofibers are used because they are very thin and therefore have a high surface area, which increases filtration efficiency
.
Masks can offer a porous design that provides higher breathability and is very lightweight
.

According to the manufacturer, a unique formula is used in the manufacturing process, which incorporates antimicrobial technology into the mask for a synergistic effect to better protect the wearer
.

NASK's N95 nanofiber masks have been certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
.
 NIOSH is part of the U.
S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is responsible for approving personal protective equipment (PPE) for use in the workplace
.

U.
S.
-based nanofiber producer Verdex, which offers nanofiber mask technology, says the filter material consists of a series of activated carbon filaments, each about 2,000 nanometers in diameter
.

This means that bacteria and viruses are more efficiently attracted to the surface of the filament due to more available surface
.

Medical Surgical Mask VS N95 Mask

Both medical surgical masks and N95 masks have the function of blocking and filtering bacteria and aerosol particles
.
However, there are still many differences between them
.

Medical surgical masks are usually processed from components such as face shields, shaped parts, and straps, and are generally made of non-woven materials, which are isolated by filtering
.
Medical surgical masks are not designed to be tightly sealed
.

A suitable three-layer surgical mask should have three layers: a hydrophobic layer to block water, blood and body fluids; a middle filter layer to filter bacterial particles; and a hydrophilic layer to absorb water, sweat and saliva
.

The most important thing to remember about medical surgical masks is that these masks are not designed to pass the fit test
.
They are not certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
.

The N95 mask is one of 9 types of particulate protective masks certified by NIOSH, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
.

The protection level of N95 means that under the testing conditions specified by the NIOSH standard, the filtration efficiency of the mask filter material for non-oily particles (such as dust, acid mist, paint mist, microorganisms, etc.
) reaches 95%
.

At the same time, N95 masks form a tight seal on the mouth/nose, and they need to be fit tested and adjusted to have the desired seal
.

N95 masks are considered a better solution to prevent the flu
.
However, a new study published in September 2019 and sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that surgical masks are as effective as N95 respirators in preventing the common flu
.