Developing a novel filter material for protective gears for health care (COVID-19) from modified BCTMP (Bleached Chemi-Thermo-Mechanical Pulp)

冠状病毒病大流行(新冠肺炎)表明，为避免传播，每个人都严重缺乏医用级别的个人防护装备，尤其是第一线的医护人员，以避免感染病毒。必须使用个人防护用品，以避免从空气中的液滴和携带细菌或病毒的颗粒感染和传播大流行。根据世界卫生组织的指导方针，口罩等防护装备的特定标准对于医疗保健提供者来说是必不可少的。许多航空公司和杂货店现在强制要求顾客戴口罩，以确保安全，并遏制新冠肺炎的传播。 医用口罩有助于阻止含有细菌/病毒的大颗粒飞沫、喷嚏和咳嗽的喷雾。外科口罩可以阻挡大颗粒液滴，但其捕获亚微米颗粒的能力是有限的。因此，它可能不能提供完全的保护，不受细菌和其他污染物的影响。N95呼吸器和医用口罩用于保护佩戴者免受空气中的颗粒和液滴的影响。它可以阻挡至少95%的0.3微米颗粒。外科口罩是由不同的过滤材料制成的，这会影响一个人呼吸的容易程度和保护其免受污染物的能力。用于制造外科口罩的材料是使用纺粘技术的聚丙烯和使用熔喷技术制造的无纺布薄片。这些工艺技术设置起来既耗时又繁琐。因此，寻找替代材料是非常重要的。 米勒西部森林产品公司(MWFP)是该项目的行业合作伙伴，使用化学、热和机械工艺(BCTMP)生产纸浆。这项与MWFP合作研究提案的主要目标是评估和修改BCTMP的性能，并从那里开发一种新的复合材料，以满足制造面部和相关保健产品防护覆盖物所需的质量要求。

The corona virus disease pandemic (COVID-19) has demonstrated the acute shortage of medical-grade personal protective equipment (PPE) for everyone to avoid the spread, in particular, for health care workers on the frontline from getting infected with the virus. The use of PPE is a must to avoid infection and spread of pandemic from airborne liquid droplets and particles carrying bacteria or viruses. A particular standard for these protective gears such as masks are essential for healthcare providers according to the World Health Organization guideline. Many airlines, grocery stores now mandatorily require customers to wear masks to ensure safety and curb the spread of COVID-19. Medical masks help block large-particle droplets, sprays from sneezes and coughing containing germs/viruses. A surgical mask may block large-particle droplets; however, its ability to capture sub-micron particles is limited. Therefore, it may not provide complete protection from germs and other contaminants. The N95 respirator and surgical masks are used to protect the wearer from airborne particles and liquid droplets. It blocks at least 95 % of 0.3 micron particles. Surgical masks are made from different filter materials, which affect how easily one can breathe through and its ability to protect from contaminants. The material used to manufacture surgical face masks are polypropylene using spunbond technology and non-woven sheet made using meltblown technology. These process technologies are time-consuming and cumbersome to set-up. Thus, a search for an alternative material is very important. Miller Western Forest Products (MWFP), the industry partner for the project, produces paper pulp using using chemicals, thermal and mechanical process (BCTMP).The main objective of this collaborative research proposal with MWFP is to assess and modify the properties of BCTMP and from there to develop a novel composite material to meet the quality required to manufacture protective coverings for face and related health care products.