RAPID: Current and Next Generation Mask Elastomer Straps: Mechanical Integrity with Sterilization and Reuse

RAPID：当前和下一代口罩弹性带：机械完整性以及灭菌和重复使用

• 批准号: 2031545
• 负责人: Meisha Shofner
• 金额: $ 16.48万
• 依托单位: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-06-01 至 2022-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2031545&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RAPID; Current; Next; Generation; Mask

This COVID-19 Rapid Response Research (RAPID) grant will investigate how sterilization and reuse strategies for personal protective equipment used by healthcare workers affect the properties of mask straps. Single use N95 and other masks are in short supply in the US and globally, which has stimulated interest in their sterilization and reuse. In addition to the sterilization procedure killing viruses, it is important that the mask retains a known fraction of functionality including mechanical durability over multiple sterilizations. Sterilization treatments have the possibility of degrading mask materials, in particular elastic straps, which have been identified as a weak link in initial studies. This project will contribute to this important, global need by studying the effects of various sterilization treatments on the structure and properties of strap materials to ensure safe and reliable fitting of masks that will be reused a limited number of times prior to disposal. Additionally, there will be a need for technology developed in this project in low to middle income countries that transcends the immediate crisis and will impact emergency care situations world-wide for years to come.The goal of this work is to correlate the type and extent of sterilization treatment with the properties of the elastomeric straps. To accomplish this, materials characterization experiments will be performed that establish links between changes in material structure and properties to the combined effects of the sterilization method used and the mechanical deformation associated with donning and doffing. Specifically, chemical changes will be evaluated using thermal and spectroscopic methods that quantify the extent and the spatial distribution of the changes as a function of exposure dose and time. Complementary testing of viscoelastic and mechanical properties will evaluate changes in performance because of sterilization. Beyond characterization of the straps, the integrity of the attachment to the mask will be measured using mechanical testing. The results of this work will provide a more complete understanding of strap degradation for each sterilization method, thereby informing the design of sterilization processes and mask components to optimize the effective mask lifetime. Furthermore, should this work conclude that strap integrity is the limiting factor in the lifetime of a given N95 mask, understanding these underlying failure mechanisms will provide insight into the development of feasible material alternatives or modifications that can be made to extend overall mask lifetime.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这项COVID-19快速反应研究（RAPID）拨款将调查医护人员使用的个人防护设备的灭菌和重复使用策略如何影响口罩带的性能。一次性N95和其他口罩在美国和全球供应短缺，这激发了人们对其灭菌和重复使用的兴趣。除了杀死病毒的灭菌程序之外，重要的是面罩在多次灭菌中保持已知部分的功能，包括机械耐久性。灭菌处理有可能使面罩材料降解，特别是弹性带，这在初步研究中已被确定为一个薄弱环节。该项目将通过研究各种灭菌处理对带材料的结构和性能的影响来促进这一重要的全球需求，以确保在处置前可重复使用有限次数的口罩的安全可靠的装配。此外，在低收入到中等收入国家，需要在该项目中开发技术，以超越当前的危机，并将在未来几年内影响全球的紧急护理情况。这项工作的目标是将灭菌处理的类型和程度与弹性带的性能相关联。为了实现这一点，将进行材料表征实验，以建立材料结构和性能变化与所用灭菌方法和与穿脱相关的机械变形的综合效应之间的联系。 具体而言，将使用热和光谱方法评估化学变化，这些方法将变化的程度和空间分布量化为暴露剂量和时间的函数。粘弹性和机械性能的补充试验将评价灭菌引起的性能变化。除绑带表征外，还将使用机械测试测量面罩附件的完整性。这项工作的结果将提供对每种灭菌方法的可吸收钉夹降解的更全面的了解，从而为灭菌过程和面罩组件的设计提供信息，以优化面罩的有效寿命。此外，如果这项工作得出结论，带的完整性是一个给定的N95面罩的寿命的限制因素，了解这些潜在的失效机理，将有助于深入了解可行的材料替代品或改进的发展，从而延长整个面罩的使用寿命。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过利用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。