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New Reusable Silicone Rubber Face Mask
New Reusable Silicone Rubber Face Mask
Written By: Paphapin Pairojtanachai
Due to the shortage of surgical masks since the coronavirus pandemic began, healthcare workers have experimented with many ways to sterilize the same masks, gloves, and scrubs for use while taking care of COVID-19 patients. The N95 respirator masks are considered to be the most effective masks among the medical community, as they trap up to 95% of all particles. Even though the filtering fabric of the masks cannot be reused, medical workers still had to reuse the masks as well as the other components of their personal protective equipment (PPE) anyway, because it was the only alternative to not having protection at all. This meant that the physicians were potentially exposing themselves and their patients to the coronavirus through the usage of contaminated PPE.
For this reason, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) in Boston have designed a new silicone mask called the iMASC. Although more research needs to be done to measure the effectiveness of the mask in filtering virus particles, the iMASC serves as a promising step forward in solving the issue of limited healthcare supplies.
The iMASC provides protection from viruses at a degree similar to the N95 respirator masks, but the scientists designed the mask in a way that makes it reusable. The shape of the iMASC mask resembles the shape of a typical 3M 1850 style N95 mask, and the iMASC also contains the N95 filter. What distinguishes the iMASC from the N95 mask is that the iMASC mask is made from durable silicone rubber, allowing it to be completely sterilized after use. In addition, the iMASC mask also consists of replaceable dual filters that cover the wearer’s mouth. Apart from the filter, the iMASC does not require any other N95 materials.
To check whether the quality of the iMASC would change after sterilization, the researchers put the mask under various sterilization methods. After being put in a steam sterilizer, an oven, bleach, or isopropyl alcohol, the silicone substance of the iMASC remained undamaged. This new mask design thus proved to be better than a biocontamination control method developed by a team of researchers from Duke University back in March. The Duke team had tried to decontaminate the N95 respirator masks with hydrogen peroxide vapor. However, this process requires equipment that is not available to many hospitals, and the number of times the masks can be reused is limited to only 20. The iMASC is seen to be a much more “versatile” product.
The iMASC prototype was easily created via the processes of 3D printing and injection molding. Afterwards, the material was put to the test among doctors and nurses from BWH, who judged the quality of the mask based on the breathability, fit, and how easy it is to replace the dual filters. Most of them concluded either that they had no preference (both the iMASC and the N95 work fine) or that they liked the iMASC better.
Based on this feedback, the MIT team is now designing a second version of the iMASC, which they hope would be even more comfortable and durable than the prototype. The team anticipates approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and also wishes to establish a company that would scale up the production of the new masks.
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