A joint research team from POSTECH and Japan’s Shinshu University evaluates the filtration efficiency of nanofiber and melt-blown filters when cleaned with ethanol.

• As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads around the world, masks have become an essential personal hygiene product as the first line of defense to protect one’s respiratory system against the viruses and germs that spread through droplets in the air. It’s a waste to dispose the masks after single use but troubling to reuse them. In light of this, a Korea-Japan research team recently released findings that compare and analyze the performance and functional differences of the filters used in masks after they are cleaned with ethanol.
• The filtration efficiency of the melt-blown filter decreased by up to 64% when cleaned with ethanol solution and reused. On the other hand, the filtration efficiency of nanofiber filters when reused 10 times through ethanol spray cleaning or immersion in ethanol solution for 24 hours maintained nearly consistent high filtration efficiency.
• Nanofiber filters have better breathability because they have much higher heat and carbon dioxide emission capabilities compared to the melt-blown filters. Biosafety tests using human skin and vascular cells also confirmed no cytotoxicity.

via Pohang University of Science and Technology | Shinshu University