Viral-filtering nanofibre face protection

我们的目标是开发一种过滤材料，可以有效阻止比新冠病毒小（60纳米）的非常小的颗粒，从而有效阻止病毒的传播。这种过滤材料将集成在普通公众的口罩中，以帮助安全返回工作岗位，并将独立获得病毒过滤效率认证。英国经济预计将萎缩35%，失去200万个工作岗位。在全国（和全世界）获得免疫接种之前，存在重大中断的重大风险，英国无法承受恢复封锁的后果。口罩是新的标准，但除了高端医用N95口罩外，没有其他过滤器被认为能有效阻止病毒。必须优先为一线医护人员提供高端口罩。我们的解决方案是使用由生物相容性材料制成的聚合物纳米纤维制造过滤器，这种过滤器具有高度透气性、柔韧性，可以用作纺织品、简单口罩的插入物。这将大大提高布制口罩（即使是自制口罩）的防护效果，其效率取决于过滤器/面罩周围的贴合程度。聚合物纳米纤维还将利用静电捕获最小的纳米颗粒，并可能在高污染地区或慢性呼吸系统疾病患者中得到进一步应用。纳米纤维的生产是利用高电场从针尖上的溶液滴中抽出纤维（这个过程被称为静电纺丝），这是一个非常缓慢的过程，每天只能生产3个口罩的过滤器。由于静电屏蔽，使更多的针头承受不是一个线性过程，需要更高和更不安全的电压，并限制了可使用的聚合物的选择(例如。无易燃溶剂)。我们的创新是模块化解决方案，每个模块可将沉积速率提高1000 - 10000倍。在本项目中，我们将开发原型过滤材料，独立验证病毒过滤，并进入试产阶段，随后进行大面积中试生产。

We aim to develop a filter material that is effective at stopping very small particles, smaller than the COV19 virus (60nm) and thus effectively stop virus transmission. This filter material will be integrated in masks for the general public, to help with a safe return to work and will be certified for viral filtration efficiency independently.The UK economy is forecast to shrink 35%, with 2 million jobs lost. Until immunisation becomes available nation-wide (and worldwide), there is a significant risk of major disruption and the UK cannot afford a return to lockdown. Face masks are the new norm, but, apart from the high-end medical N95 respirators, no other filters are rated to stop viruses effectively. The supply of high-end respirators must be prioritised for frontline medical staff.Our solution is to manufacture filters using polymer nanofibres made from a biocompatible material, filters which are highly-breathable, flexible and can be used as inserts into textile, simple face masks. This will increase the protection of cloth masks (even home-made ones) significantly, with the efficiency then being ruled by the tightness of the fit around the filter/face. The polymer nanofibres will also use static electricity to trap even the smallest of nanoparticles, and may be of further use in areas of high pollution or for people with chronic respiratory problems.Nanofibres are produced using a high electric field to pull a fibre out of a droplet of solution on the end of a needle (a process called electrospinning), a very slow process that would make filters for ~3 masks/day. Due to electrostatic shielding, bringing more needles to bear is not a linear process, requiring higher and more unsafe voltages, and limiting the choice of polymers that can be used (eg. no flammable solvents). Our innovation is a modular solution that increases deposition rates by 1000 - 10000 times per module.In this project, we will develop the prototype filter material, validate it independently for viral filtration and move to trial production, followed by large-area pilot production.