Abstract:

Upon the outbreak of the COVID-19, community wide mask wearing has become an important tool to prevent the spread of the virus. The use of disposable masks -that are generally produced of three or more layers of synthetic nonwovens- by the general public is being questioned from an environmental and waste perspective. Conventional textile fabrics, on the other hand, may not provide the desired level of protection against the virus. In this study three layer fabric mask structures having a middle layer of nonwoven (100 g/m2 or 120 g/m2) sandwiched between knitted polyester fabrics were prepared. The particle filtration and breathability properties of the fabric assemblies were investigated. In order to prevent bacterial growth and enable safer use, the outer layer was antibacterial and water repellent functionalized. The middle layer was also antibacterial treated. The air permeability of the three layer fabric structure with an antibacterial nonwoven (100 g/m2) middle layer and an antibacterial and water repellent outer layer was ≥ 96 l/m²/s. The particle filtration efficiency was 23% when tested for 0.3 µm NaCl aerosol particles. The particle filtration efficiency was not reduced after washing up to 20 cycles.

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