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

自COVD-19大流行开始以来，基于塑料的个人防护设备（PPE）的使用显著增加，引发了对其同时产生的负面环境影响的担忧，并促使人们寻求能够提供病毒防护的解决方案，但同时提供减少的环境足迹。在这里，我们建议通过专有的闭环工艺，使用总部位于不列颠哥伦比亚省的工业合作伙伴组织生产的木质医用级木质素和纤维素开发和测试一种新型医用口罩过滤层。我们预期新的混合纤维素-木质素层的过滤性能得到改善，这是由于其通过静电纺丝过程形成的纳米结构，沿着木质素固有的抗菌和抗病毒特性。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，然后可能进入工业合作伙伴的商业化阶段。 研究目标将通过多学科团队的努力来实现，包括来自材料科学和制造，机械工程和设计以及微生物学的专家。该项目的里程碑将包括：1。纤维素纳米纤维垫的制造; 2.木质素纳米纤维垫的制造; 3.混杂纤维素-木质素纳米纤维垫的制造; 4.建立内部过滤测试设置; 5.优化混合层设计以改善过滤; 6.抗病毒和抗菌表征。

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.