A Chinese company has successfully developed a new graphene mask with stronger antibacterial properties, better breathability, and longer usage time than 48 hours, according to the Beijing Daily.
The company, the AECC Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials (BIAM) in Zhongguancun Science City, has applied a new graphene polypropylene melt-blown cloth material to the critical filtration layer between the spun-bonded nonwovens that make up ordinary masks, according to researchers at the company.
Compared to regular masks, the new graphene masks have strong antibacterial properties, better breathability and longer use time.
"Graphene, as a two-dimensional carbon nanomaterial, can form a natural 'nano knife' on melt-blown cloth, which, under the action of natural respiration, destroys the cell walls of germs and plays a good bactericidal role," The technicians said.
In addition, graphene melt-blown cloths are more breathable than conventional melt-blown cloths during exhalation due to their one-way breathability.
In terms of use time, the effective use time of traditional masks is 4 hours, after 4 hours the filtering function is significantly reduced. The new graphene mask was used for more than 48 hours, and the new graphene mask's filtration efficiency was reduced by only 4% after 48 hours of continuous wear.
In fact, the development of masks is not the main business of China Aerospace Exploration Institute, which was originally a company focused on the development of aero-engine materials, after the outbreak of the epidemic, the team used its technical advantages to quickly start the development of new graphene masks.
Wang Xudong, director of Beijing Graphene Institute, said the new graphene mask production line currently has a daily capacity of 200,000.
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