TSU is offering innovative technology for the production of protective face masks by increasing the period of their effectiveness using bioactive copper oxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles. This is a joint development of TSU with the Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science SB RAS.
The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has shown that there is an urgent need for effective measures to prevent the spread of viral infections of various nosologies. Recent outbreaks of the SARS virus, avian influenza, H1N1 influenza and, finally, the COVID-19 coronavirus have all shown that highly effective household gear that can interrupt the spread of infections is not enough.
Currently, the most popular personal protective equipment is facial masks, which can reduce the invasion and spread of respiratory viruses, but after about two hours, their antiviral effectiveness is significantly reduced.
One of the ways to increase antiviral efficacy is to impart antiseptic properties to polymer medical materials, including fibrous ones, by modifying them with bioactive nanoparticles of copper oxide and zinc oxide. Such nanoparticles deposited on fibers exhibit antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties and also, unlike silver nanoparticles proposed by other researchers, are less expensive and not cytotoxic.
The bioactive copper oxide nanoparticles in the filtering material will give disposable respirator masks powerful biocidal properties without changing their barrier properties. Moreover, modification with bioactive nanoparticles can impart biocidal properties to medical clothing, bedding, and medical equipment cases. It has also been established that metal oxides (CuO and ZnO) and complex metal oxides ((Cu-Fe) O and (Zn-Fe) O) retain their biocidal properties when introduced into polymers.