Smart filtering and protective technologies against COVID-19

旨在应对社会挑战的高效多功能多孔材料的发现是我们团队的重点。我们有兴趣找到这些材料的新应用，通过保护我们的健康和环境，同时不依赖国际制造和确保加拿大经济的利益，来确保加拿大人的福利。在新冠肺炎大流行期间，我们相信，根据我们拥有的专业准备材料，我们有办法满足对下一代更智能、更安全的个人防护装备的迫切需求。这项拟议的计划旨在渥太华大学Murugesu集团与加拿大通用动力兵器和战术系统公司(GDOTS Canada)之间建立合作伙伴关系，以寻找保护加拿大人和环境免受空气中散布的危险微生物的方法，包括SARS-CoV-2病毒，这种病毒很容易传播，特别是在没有适当采取遏制措施的情况下。病毒通过咳嗽或打喷嚏传播，但也会在演讲期间传播，产生一层看不见的小液滴，可以通过呼吸道进行交换。因此，正如广泛推荐的那样，社交距离是控制SARS-CoV-2病毒的最佳措施。尽管如此，前线和军队的医护人员需要自我保护设备，以帮助民众安全工作。考虑到这一点，这项建议包括高性能和高度可调的金属有机骨架(MOF)多孔材料的制备、表征和放大，以及它们与纳米级聚合物微纤维的融合，旨在实现智能过滤材料，以支持智能个人防护设备的制造，特别是为处理感染患者的一线医护人员提供高性能的口罩、呼吸器和服装。

The discovery of efficient multifunctional porous materials aiming to address societal challenges is the focus of our team. We are interested in finding new applications to these materials that can ensure the welfare of Canadians by protecting our health and environment while not relying on international manufacturing and ensuring benefits for Canada's economy. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe that we have the answer to the urgent need for the next generation of smarter and safer personal protective equipment (PPE) based on the materials we have expertise in preparing. This proposed program aims a partnership between the Murugesu Group at the University of Ottawa and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Canada Inc. (GDOTS Canada) to look at ways to protect Canadians and the environment from dangerous microorganisms dispersed in the air including the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is easily spread especially when containment measures are not properly adopted. The virus spreads through coughing or sneezing, but also during the speech, creating a mist of small invisible droplets that can be exchanged through the respiratory tracts. Thus, as widely recommended, social distance is the best measure to control the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Nonetheless, healthcare workers on the frontlines and military need self-protection equipment to assist the population while working safely. With this in mind, this proposal encompasses the preparation, characterization, and scale-up of high performing and highly tunable porous materials termed Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and their amalgamation with polymeric microfibers at the nanoscale, aiming to implement smart filtering materials to support the fabrication of smart PPE especially for providing the frontline healthcare workers dealing with infected patients with high-performing masks, respirators, and apparel.