TRIBOELECTRIFIED MATERIALS OF FACEMASK TO RESIST COVID-19

Abstract

The present work discusses the use of triboelectrification to enhance the performance of the facemask made of polymeric fibers. Experiments were carried out to measure the electrostatic charge (ESC) generated from the friction of air with the facemask during inhalation and exhalation. The tested materials of facemask were textiles of polypropylene (PP), Polyamide (PA) and cotton. It was found that ESC gained by the fibers of the mask increases with the time of breathing and decreases with increasing the distance from the mask. Besides, the negative ESC generated on the surface of PP fibers can ionize the air to be negatively charged, providing space of negative ESC in front of the mask of about 200 mm. In this space, repulsive force is generated, where Covid-19 viruses of negative charge are repelled away from the facemask. It is recommended that electric field outside the fibers should be strong to repel viruses. To achieve that, actively negative charge polymers should be selected for masks, while cotton, polyamide and positively charged polymeric textiles should be excluded. Finally, it is preferable to frame the PP facemask by Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to increase the negative ESC of the air to be purified from viruses before entrance and exit from the mouth and nose.