Scientists make environmental protection "cloth masks" to block aerosol viruses

As the spread of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19 virus) continues, many experts suggest that when surgical masks or N95 masks cannot be used, it is recommended to wear homemade masks to prevent the spread of the epidemic

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science used various fabrics purchased locally as masks to study the fate of large substitute cough droplets at different speeds (from mild to severe)

Researcher Saptarshi Basu said: "Our research results show that cotton and towel fabrics are the most effective of all fabrics, and must be stitched together in multiple layers to make a homemade mask

Researchers analyzed the effect of cleaning on the efficacy of masks, and the results showed that in as many as 70 cleaning cycles, the impact of cleaning on the efficacy of masks was negligible

The researchers used a piezoelectric-based droplet dispenser to create alternative cough droplets that affect a single layer of different fabric samples at different speeds

The specific cotton fabric materials are selected according to their daily use and people's tendency to use these cloth materials to cover their faces

The researchers observed how the properties of the fabric, such as pore size and porosity, affect the penetration of droplets through the mask

The results of the study are relevant to many groups, including decision makers who are studying how to counteract aerosol formation through the secondary atomization of cough droplets when they penetrate the mask fabric

The research results can also be applied to various applications from agriculture to medical practice.

"Efficacy of homemade face masks against human coughs: Insights on penetration, atomization, and aerosolization of cough droplets" by Bal Krishan, Dipendra Gupta, Gautham Vadlamudi, Shubham Sharma, Dipshikha Chakravortty and Saptarshi Basu, 14 September 2021, Physics of Fluids .