Hossain Mozakkar, Karmakar Keshab, Sarkar Prakash, Chattaraj Tiyasi, Rao K D M
School of Applied & Interdisciplinary Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India.
ACS Omega. 2024 Feb 15;9(8):9137-9146. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.3c08020. eCollection 2024 Feb 27.
In the contemporary way of life, face masks are crucial in managing disease transmission and battling air pollution. However, two key challenges, self-sanitization and biodegradation of face masks, need immediate attention, prompting the development of innovative solutions for the future. In this study, we present a novel approach that combines controlled acid hydrolysis and mechanical chopping to synthesize a silk nanofibrous network (SNN) seamlessly integrated with a wearable stainless steel mesh, resulting in the fabrication of self-sanitizable face masks. The distinct architecture of face masks showcases remarkable filtration efficiencies of 91.4, 95.4, and 98.3% for PM, PM, and PM, respectively, while maintaining a comfortable level of breathability (Δ = 92 Pa). Additionally, the face mask shows that a remarkable thermal resistance of 472 °C cm W generates heat spontaneously at low voltage, deactivating bacteria on the SNN, enabling self-sanitization. The SNN exhibited complete disintegration within the environment in just 10 days, highlighting the remarkable biodegradability of the face mask. The unique advantage of self-sanitization and biodegradation in a face mask filter is simultaneously achieved for the first time, which will open avenues to accomplish environmentally benign next-generation face masks.
在当代生活方式中，口罩对于控制疾病传播和对抗空气污染至关重要。然而，口罩的自我消毒和生物降解这两个关键挑战需要立即引起关注，这促使人们为未来开发创新解决方案。在本研究中，我们提出了一种新颖的方法，该方法结合了可控酸水解和机械切碎，以合成与可穿戴不锈钢网无缝集成的丝纳米纤维网络（SNN），从而制造出可自我消毒的口罩。口罩独特的结构分别对PM、PM和PM展现出91.4%、95.4%和98.3%的显著过滤效率，同时保持舒适的透气水平（Δ = 92 Pa）。此外，该口罩显示出472 °C cm² W的显著热阻，在低电压下能自发产生热量，使SNN上的细菌失活，实现自我消毒。SNN在环境中仅10天内就完全分解，突出了该口罩显著的生物降解性。首次同时实现了口罩过滤器中自我消毒和生物降解的独特优势，这将为实现环境友好型下一代口罩开辟道路。
