Coronavirus Technology Solutions
November 11, 2020

Georgia Tech Strives for More Comfortable Mask

MIT Inactivates the Virus Using Heated Mask

HanesBrands Supplying Surgical Masks with Bi Component Spun Bond Filter Media

Mogul will add two more meltblown lines

China's Daddybaby Protective Masks Certified By BSI

Purelogic Prana Air Mask has a Micro Ventilator

Review of Resokare N95 Mask by Purchaser

Evaluation of Xiantao Zhong Mask by John Alexander

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Georgia Tech Strives for More Comfortable Mask

The gold standard for healthcare workers has been 3M’s N95 respirator, which has a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles. These aren’t recommended for the general public to prevent respiratory diseases because they are critical supplies to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders.

Masks for the general public are varied in both style and effectiveness. There are enormous ranges of disposable and reusable masks in a variety of materials. The problem is many of these have flaws that either render them too uncomfortable to wear or inadequately filter the air. An upgrade to mask design on both these fronts is integral to boost infection control.

Georgia Tech researchers approached mask design from an ergonomic perspective. Based on decades of filtration and textile material experience, they are creating a new mask to be comfortable enough for all-day wear.

The modular mask combines a stretchable knitted Spandex/Lyocell blend with a barrier filtration material. The prototypes made so far for testing employ hook and eye fasteners—similar to the gold-standard N95 respirators—and have a pocket to place an optional filter for further protection. The prototypes haven’t shrunk or lost their shape after 20 washings.

The masks also tackle the fundamental flaw in existing reusable cloth masks of leaking air around the edges, bypassing their filtration mechanism. The leakage problem is depicted by eyeglasses fogging up as exhaled breath leaks around the nose. Georgia Tech’s two-part mask fastens behind the head like many N95 respirators. The front barrier component containing the filtration material is contoured for a tight fit while allowing space around the nose and mouth to prevent breathing restrictions and allow unrestricted speech. It’s made from the same moisture-wicking material used in athletic clothing, and the washable fabric filter is composed of a Spandex/polyester blend. The stretchable portion has holes for ears to help position the mask with conventional hook and eyelet hardware.

“We want people to be able to get the mask in the right place every time,” said Sundaresan Jayaraman, the Kolon Professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Materials Science and Engineering. “If you don’t position it correctly and easily, you are going to have to keep fiddling with it. We see that all the time on television with people adjusting their masks and letting them drop below their noses.”

The researchers published their face mask recommendations in The Journal of The Textile Institute and will make the mask specifications and patterns available for consumers and manufacturers. Necessary materials can be bought from retail fabric stores, and instructions describe how to measure for customizing the masks.

“Good filtration efficiency is not enough by itself,” said Jayaraman. “The combination of fit, filtration efficiency, and staying in the right place make for a good mask.”

MIT Inactivates the Virus Using Heated Mask

In typical fashion, MIT engineers are currently developing a space-age solution to combat the virus. However, its concept is simple—go beyond filtering and inactivate viruses using heat.

The masks utilize a heated copper mesh. During respiration air flows continuously across the mesh and viral particles in the area are halted and switched off by the mesh and the high temperatures. The researchers created a reverse-flow reactor to accomplish this. As the wearer breathes in and out, airflow continually reverses, ensuring any viruses in the mask to traverse the mesh many times to raise deactivation likelihood. The copper mesh is wrapped in neoprene, an insulation material that stops the outside of the mask from becoming too hot to wear.

“This is a completely new mask concept in that it doesn’t primarily block the virus. It actually lets the virus go through the mask, but slows and inactivates it,” said Michael Strano, the Carbon P. Dubbs Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT.

To develop the mask the researchers calculated the coronavirus degradation rate at different temperatures and trapping conditions. They discovered that a temperature of approximately 90 degrees Celsius could provoke between a thousand fold and million fold viral particle reduction depending on the final mask size. The 90 degree C temperature can be achieved via running a small electrical current (powered by a small battery) across the 0.1-millimeter thick copper mesh or thermoelectric heater. Current prototypes use a 9-volt battery, which generates enough power to heat the mask for a few hours and cool the air before it’s inhaled.

“What we show is that it’s possible to wear something on your face that’s not too cumbersome, that can actually allow you to breathe medically sterile air,” Strano said. “The prospect of being able to breathe in medically sterile air and breathe out medically sterile air, protecting the people around you and protecting yourself, is just the next step. It’s better technology.”

Heated masks would be more costly than cloth or surgical masks, but they could be useful where risk of exposure is elevated and cost is less of a concern, according to the researchers. They have filed for a patent on the mask design and intend to begin testing prototypes at MIT with collaborators. 

HanesBrands Supplying Surgical Masks with Bi Component Spun Bond Filter Media

HanesBrands announced that a proprietary surgical face mask developed in conjunction with North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health has been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use by health care professionals as personal protective equipment.

The two-ply, single-use surgical mask features a unique fabric developed by NC State’s Nonwovens Institute combined with a fit design created in collaboration with UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State biomedical engineers and UNC Health infection prevention experts.

The Hanes mask uses a duckbill shape for better breathability, a wire nosepiece and foam insert to enhance a contoured fit, and placement of stretchable straps for a secure fit. UNC Health tested the masks to assure they meet FDA particulate filtration standards and OSHA respiratory protection program requirements.

“We are delighted to have this mask added to the FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization for surgical masks during the Covid-19 pandemic,” says Mike Abbott, HanesBrands’ director of research and development. “It is a testament to the ingenuity and collaboration of our university partners and our R&D team to quickly develop a much-needed mask that is high quality, affordable and comfortable for health care professionals.”

The FDA issued its Emergency Use Authorization for surgical masks in response to concerns relating to the insufficient supply and availability of disposable single-use surgical masks that provide a physical barrier to fluids and respiratory droplets.

The use of unique spunbond fabric developed by the Nonwovens Institute, the world’s first accredited academic program for the field of engineered fabrics, eliminates the need for a third filtration layer for cost efficiency and filtering effectiveness. The spunbond fabric is composed of two different polymer materials to make a single fiber that has significant strength and bulk that is as effective in filtration as current materials on the market.

“The Nonwovens Institute is proud to be a part of this collaboration to ensure that high-quality and affordable protective gear remains available to frontline health care workers during the pandemic,” says Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi, executive director of the Nonwovens Institute at NC State.

The Hanes mask was added to the FDA Emergency Use Authorization on Oct. 5, 2020, after meeting FDA requirements for fluid resistance (ASTM F1862), flammability performance, particulate filtration (ASTM F2100), and breathability (ASTM F2100).

UNC Health’s testing, supported by the UNC School of Medicine Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma, and Lung Biology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Human Studies Facility in Chapel Hill, demonstrated the masks exceeded expected performance levels and has used the masks in targeted clinical settings.

“We provided the Hanes mask to clinical areas concerned with protection during specific clinical encounters where N95 respirators are not recommended but the risk of Covid-19 exposure is perceived to be high,” says UNC Health’s Dr. Emily Sickbert-Bennett, director of infection prevention at UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill. “The Hanes mask made these providers feel safe and well protected. I expect we will broaden use of the Hanes mask given the degree of protection it provides.”

The company is selling the surgical masks to health care organizations for use by professionals in health care settings. Separately, the company is selling all-cotton and polyester blend face masks for consumers under its Hanes and Champion brands that are available online, in leading retail stores and in company outlet stores.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the wearing of cloth face coverings to help prevent the spread of Covid-19, especially when social distancing cannot be practiced. Emerging evidence indicates face coverings act as barriers to the dispersion of respiratory droplets when worn over the mouth and nose.

In accordance with the FDA surgical mask Emergency Use Authorization, HanesBrands’ disposable, single-use surgical masks:

• Have not been FDA cleared or approved.
• Have been authorized by FDA under an EUA for use in health care settings by health care personnel to provide a physical barrier to fluids and particulate materials to prevent health care personnel exposure to respiratory droplets and large particles during surgical mask shortages resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Are authorized only for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of the emergency use of medical devices, including alternative products used as medical devices, during the Covid-19 outbreak, under section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner..

Mogul will add two more meltblown lines

Mogul is a leading manufacturer of meltblown nonwovens based in Gaziantep, Turkey. Mogul will add two new meltblown lines to its operations. The lines, which will both be 160 cm wide and capable of making fabrics in the 15-100 gsm range, will come on stream six months apart with one starting production in January 2021 and the other in June 2021. Both lines will make electrostatic charged media capable of making the N95 and higher efficiency masks as well as  high efficiency filtration applications and other industrial applications.

 Mogul has been involved in meltblown nonwovens since 2000 and currently has four lines in operation.

China's Daddybaby Protective Masks Certified By BSI

With the global pandemic not showing any signs of abating, medical protective supplies such as masks and protective clothing are still in high demand around the world. Recently, protective masks by Daddybaby Co., Ltd. were certified by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and also passed the European Union's CE certification test. This certification will permit the company to break new grounds as its products are now in compliance with EU standards.

BSI was established in 1901. In its 100 years of existence, BSI has become a world-renowned service organization that develops business standards. During the pandemic, BSI offered a CE-Dedicated FastTrack Review Service that allowed Chinese mask manufacturers to expedite the export procedure to support the fight against COVID-19 in Europe while ensuring the products conform to the EU Commission's recommendations (EU) 2020/403 for PPE. As the global pandemic continues to spread, companies providing epidemic prevention supplies around the globe are expanding their production capacity to meet the growing demand. As the backbone of the global fight against COVID-19, Chinese companies have been providing strong support for the fight with important supplies.

At the beginning of the outbreak, Daddybaby in its capacity as an outstanding private enterprise in China, immediately assessed the feasibility of switching to the production of PPE. The company officially launched the production of masks the next day, rapidly transforming itself from a manufacturer of baby and adult diapers to one of the earliest quality mask suppliers certified by the Guangzhou Guangjian Textile Garment And Accessories Testing And Research Institute (GTTC). Daddybaby has also independently developed and modified its six mask production lines, increasing its production efficiency to 700 to 1100 mask pieces per minute – 10 times higher than the output of ordinary mask production lines.

The impressive production capacity of Daddybaby can be attributed to its 180,000 m2 4.0 smart factory, which was built and equipped with world-class automated production lines to the tune of 500 million yuan. The company has created an industrial concentration zone that produces a variety of products including baby diapers, adult diapers and sanitary napkins, which are exported to Japan, South Korea and other countries. Its annual output stands at 4 billion yuan with 3,000 to 5,000 jobs created. In 2015, Daddybaby became the first publicly listed company in China's diaper industry. Daddybaby has continued to donate medical supplies to governments, universities and countries in need as part of the global fight against COVID-19.

In addition, Wu Zunyou, the chief expert in epidemiology at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said the pandemic is unlikely to be controlled in the coming months. Wearing a mask will be the new norm for ordinary people under normalized COVID-19 prevention and control. As the pandemic continues to take its toll and many countries tighten their prevention and control measures again, protective masks will remain an indispensable part of the global fight against COVID-19. Daddybaby will continue to provide high-quality masks to needy regions while meeting the domestic standards as well as the product standards of the importing countries or regions, hoping to support the prevention and control of the global pandemic.

Purelogic Prana Air Mask has a micro ventilator

Established in 2016, Purelogic Labs India is an initiative to increase awareness about air pollution in India. As consciousness about poor air in the society grows people will want to take some action to protect themselves. Based on this premise, Purelogic Labs established Prana Air for providing the best clean air solution in India. Prana Air’s mission is to provide high quality, yet affordable, anti-pollution solutions, protecting people from the life-threatening effects of the polluted air.

Prana Air, an e-commerce platform is launched by Purelogic Labs India to ensure the best of the air quality for both indoors and outdoors. They understand the constant fight against the rising concern of the air pollution. After a series of testing their prototypes and satisfactory customer validation, they offer an effective air purifier and pollution mask that improves the quality of the air you breathe.

Located in New Delhi, India, Prana Air’s manufacturing unit is based in Shenzhen, China and is importing, specialized air purifiers and pollution face masks.

Motion Mask features according to Prana Air

·         Specialized motion masks are the very first step in leading you towards a fresh, purified air intake.

·         These masks are engineered with special attention to details such as the quality of toxic air in your city and the various issues that you might face when breathing in.

·         Motion Masks are crafted in a way that provides maximum protection from the deadly haze and air pollutants.

·         These masks have a motor which helps in creating the right pressure to keep your airways open so you can comfortably breathe in and out.

·         The pollution mask comes with a medical silicon grade for close facial fit and maximized comfort.

·         When you come in contact or inhale dust particles, it causes an allergic reaction. The filters in the anti-pollution motion mask stop the small dust particles ranging from PM1 to PM 2.5.

·         With the help of a pre-filter which stops the big particles of the dust.

·         These motion masks also feature 2 layers of activated carbon eliminating toxic gas and 2 layers of HEPA filter stopping dust particles up to PM1.

·         The motion air masks have a micro ventilator that open and closes when you inhale and exhale giving you clean air to breathe.

·         These micro ventilators attached to the motion mask also enhances the protection in the rapid extraction of heat and moisture. With this combination, you can experience enhanced breath ability and cooler airflow while wearing the mask for long period.

The price is equivalent to $44

Review of Resokare N95 Mask by Purchaser

John Alexander is a researcher and writer and prepared this analysis.

“I recently got some Respokare N95 respirators from N95 Mask Co and wanted to write up my thoughts on them. These were of interest because they are N95 rated, and on the NIOSH approved manufacturer list here (scroll down to “Innonix”, who make them).

Just to clarify, Innonix manufacture the “Respokare” respirator, and N95 Mask Co are retailers who sell them online.

Blue Respokare is on the left, and white Xiantao Zhong Yi N95’s (review here) on the right.

They arrived to me via UPS International Express and took approximately five working days to arrive. Although I can’t comment if that lead time is typical.

Whilst their shipping page only mentions UPS International Express for shipping, I can confirm they all ship out of Hong Kong.

Inside – with rubber seal around nose

Interior Layers

I cut one of them open to take a peek at the inner layers. It’s more or less as you’d expect – with an inner and outer layer, that sandwich a meltblown filter. Unlike most respirators, it then adds a (blue) layer that claims anti-viral properties. According to the Respokare site, the layer is made of rayon, with copper and zinc ions.

Face Fit

Weight: The respirators are very lightweight, and don’t feel heavy on the head.

Air Tight Seal: One concern I had initially was that the seal around the face wouldn’t be great, especially around the cheeks and chin. However, on that front I was pleasantly surprised.

Holding on to the respirator and blowing outwards, there doesn’t appear to be leakage.

One issue I did run into though was that the material gets sucked in slightly when breathing in. Under normal breathing conditions, this is manageable, but if for some reason you were breathing heavily (going up a flight of stairs for instance), then you might feel the material pressing against your face.

Whilst it’s a good sign that air isn’t being drawn from around the edges, it could also be irritating. That said, you do get used to it after a while.

You can compare this to the respirators with a cup shaped shell, which prevents the material from moving with the breath.

Elastic Straps – The elastics are strong and look like they’ll last a long time. They fit my head well, but for smaller heads, it’s possible they might be a bit loose. Some respirators have adjustable straps, but these are “one-size fits all”. Of course, often one size does not fit all. One workaround could be to staple a small section of the elastic to shorten it, like below. It’s not an irreversible change, so if it didn’t work, you can just pick the staple out.

On the flip side, whilst I have a reasonably big head (22.5 inch / 57cm) – it’s not the biggest. If you had a larger head it’s possible the straps would be too small. If that’s the case, you’d be better off going for a respirator with adjustable length straps.

Smell: Ideally there would be no discernible smell coming from the respirator, but there is. It smells like chemicals, so is probably leftover from the manufacturing process, or from the type of material used. Your nose adjusts to it after a while, and perhaps it goes with time. At the time I’m reviewing the product I’ve only worn the respirator out once, and so far the smell is still there.

N95 respirators contain an electrostatic charge between layers, which can be damaged by washing. So I’d exercise caution if you thought to “wash the smell out”.

Overall I’d say that this respirator looks a lot like the blue surgical masks that have become commonplace, therefore it doesn’t stick out too badly. However the “fin” at the front does project forward and is the most conspicuous aspect.

Not the prettiest of models, but hopefully this gives an idea of how it might look on.

This is just a quick review of the Respokare from N95 Mask Co, but hopefully it sheds some light on what’s an important issue for many (staying healthy during this pandemic).

I’ve summarized the pros and cons below.

Evaluation of Xiantao Zhong Mask by John Alexander

“I recently got the Xiantao Zhong Yi N95 Respirator from N95 Mask Co and wanted to write up my thoughts on it.

I ordered both N95 types they stock, including the Respokare style, which I’ve reviewed separately here.

The Xiantao respirator was of interest because it’s N95 rated on the NIOSH approved manufacturer list here. It’s also similar, on first appearance to 3M’s popular 8210 respirator.

3M 8210 left, Xiantao Zhong Yi right

 They arrived to me via UPS Express and took approximately five working days to arrive. Although I can’t comment if that lead time is typical for everyone.

Face Fit

Weight: The respirator is light weight and doesn’t feel heavy on.

Air Tight Seal: Due to the rigid nature of cup design, I ran into an issue getting an air tight seal. I’ve used 2 cup style respirators before, however they’ve had slight differences that led them to fit better.

I’ve used a 3M valved respirator (like this) which uses a softer material for the cup part, and the softer material seems to fit the contours of the face better.

Then with a GVS respirator, they tackle the issue by using a softer material (like 3M) and then additionally adding a felt inner.

GVS (left) uses felt inner to help seal. 3M (right) is made of a softer material than moulds more to the face.

Smell: Unlike with the Respokare model, there’s no strong post manufacturing smell.

Elastic Straps – The elastics are strong and look like they’ll last a good amount of time. They fit my head well, but for smaller heads, it’s not impossible they might be a bit loose. Some respirators have adjustable straps, but these are “one-size fits all”. Of course, often one size does not fit all. One workaround could be to staple a small section of the elastic to shorten it, like below. It’s not an irreversible change, so if it didn’t work, you can just pick the staple out.

On the flip side, whilst I have a reasonably big head (22.5 inch / 57cm) – it’s not the biggest. If you had a much larger head it’s possible the straps would be too small. If that’s the case, you’d be better off going for a respirator with adjustable length straps.

Aesthetics

This looks like your typical N95 respirator and won’t win any awards in the aesthetics department. That said, one nice aspect is the all-white design.

Conclusion

Prior to testing this and the Respokare unit, I’d have assumed that this “traditional” cup style respirator would be superior. However, since testing and finding it harder to get a good facial seal with this one, I’d personally lean towards buying the Respokare model, if it was a choice between the two.

I’ve summarized the pros and cons below.