Design, characterization and manufacture of sustainable filtration masks from medical grade lignin and cellulose to combat COVID-19

自2019冠状病毒病大流行开始以来，塑料基个人防护装备（PPE）的使用大幅增加，引发了人们对其同时产生的负面环境影响的担忧，并促使人们寻求既能抵御病毒，又能减少环境足迹的解决方案。在这里，我们建议开发和测试一种新型的医用口罩过滤层，使用由不列颠哥伦比亚省的工业合作伙伴组织生产的基于木材的医用级木质素和纤维素，通过专有的闭环工艺。由于其通过静电纺丝工艺形成的纳米结构，以及木质素固有的抗菌和抗病毒特性，我们预计新的混合纤维素-木质素层的过滤性能将得到改善。在开发出这种可持续生物基层的最佳设计后，该团队将评估该产品在医用口罩应用中的功效，然后由工业合作伙伴进入商业化阶段。

The significant increase in the use of plastic-based personal protective equipment (PPE) since the start of the COVD-19 pandemic has raised alarming concerns over its concurrent negative environmental impact and has motivated the search for solutions that can offer protection against the virus, but at the same time provide reduced environmental footprint. Here, we propose to develop and test a novel filtration layer for medical masks using wood-based medical grade lignin and cellulose produced by the industrial partner organization, based in British Columbia, through a proprietary closed-loop process. We anticipate an improved filtration performance for the new hybrid cellulose-lignin layer, owing to its nanostructure formed via electrospinning process, along with the intrinsic antibacterial and antiviral properties of lignin. Upon the development of the optimal design for this sustainable bio-based layer, the team will assess the efficacy of the product for medical mask applications, which may then enter to the commercialization phase by the industrial partner. The research goal will be accomplished through a multi-disciplinary team effort, including experts from Materials Science and Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering and Design, and Microbiology. The project milestones will include: 1. Fabrication of cellulose nanofibre mats; 2. Fabrication of lignin nanofibre mats; 3. Fabrication of hybrid cellulose-lignin nanofibre mats; 4. Building an in-house filtration test setup; 5. Optimization of hybrid layer design for improved filtration; 6. Antiviral and Antibacterial characterization.