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Antibacterial, antiviral, and biodegradable collagen network mask for effective particulate removal and wireless breath monitoring
Summary
Scientists created a new face mask made from collagen (a natural protein) instead of the usual plastic, and it kills over 99.99% of bacteria and viruses on contact while also filtering out tiny air pollution particles. Unlike standard masks, this one breaks down naturally instead of piling up as plastic waste, and it can even be wired up to track your breathing. This matters because it tackles two problems at once: protecting you from germs and pollution while cutting down on the mountains of disposable mask waste that pollute our environment.
Functional face masks that can effectively remove particulate matter and pathogens are critical to addressing the urgent health needs arising from industrial air pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, most commercial masks are manufactured by tedious and complicated network-forming procedures (e.g., meltblowing and electrospinning). In addition, the materials used (e.g., polypropylene) have significant limitations such as a lack of pathogen inactivation and degradability, which can cause secondary infection and serious environmental concerns if discarded. Here, we present a facile and straightforward method for creating biodegradable and self-disinfecting masks based on collagen fiber networks. These masks not only provide superior protection against a wide range of hazardous substances in polluted air, but also address environmental concerns associated with waste disposal. Importantly, collagen fiber networks with naturally existing hierarchical microporous structures can be easily modified by tannic acid to improve its mechanical characteristics and enable the in situ production of silver nanoparticles. The resulting masks exhibit excellent antibacterial (>99.99%, 15 min) and antiviral (>99.999%, 15 min) capabilities, as well as high PM2.5 removal efficiency (>99.9%, 30 s). We further demonstrate the integration of the mask into a wireless platform for respiratory monitoring. Therefore, the smart mask has enormous promise for combating air pollution and contagious viruses, managing personal health, and alleviating waste issues caused by commercial masks.