The global health emergency situation caused by the appearance of CoVid-2019 has shown how population habits must be changed to face the challenge, and how this has greatly increased the market demand for specific goods, such as disinfectants and protective masks. The latter, for a long period of time, was unavailable on the market, since nominal world production, able to satisfy the needs under normal conditions, has not proved to be sufficient in emergency events.
The protective masks are disposable, or can be used for a certain short period of time, which requires their frequent replacement. This practice was not adopted by the population, as the number of protective masks on the market was limited and the price expensive. The risk of not changing the protective masks as recommended consists in a loss of their effectiveness, especially if they were exposed to a virus containing aerosol. Under these conditions, the protective system could easily fail.
The purpose of NANOMASK is to develop a casting solution containing antiviral nanoparticles to add to the filter matrix of FPP2 type protective masks, with the target to enhance their life time and durability and when in contact with the virus, capable to eliminate it. The focus will be set on two different nanomaterials, that is Nanosilver and Nanozeolite, stand-alone or in mixture, and will be produced by means of a spinning disk reactor by bottom-up approach to a specific controlled size and shape. In addition to this, the addition of Resveratrol produced by green chemistry methods will be checked. All casting films on the masks will be optimized to allow integration of the nanomaterials in the face mask filter matrix. Moreover, functionality of the casting film on antiviral efficiency will be measured and validated. Finally, industrial process optimization and design will achieve production of enhanced face masks with maximum antiviral durability and safety, and sustainability by face mask waste reduction.
Innovation of this research proposal covers many aspects, such as:
- Scientific: enhancement of the antiviral properties of well known nanomaterials such as nanosilver and nanozeolites, mixed with resveratrol, by proper formulation within casting solutions that can be used to coat many different surfaces, among those textiles such as the filter matrices of face masks;
- Technological: the spinning disk reactor is a process intensified device capable to produce nanoparticles of controlled size and shape at industrial capacity continuously. It is the first time this technology will be employed to produce nanosilver particles, and to provide mixtures of different nanomaterials to provide an homogeneous, high quality casting solution;
- Progress: face mask technology is not updating since decades if not by investigating different filter matrix materials. The proposed process represent a step forward in face mask technology development by providing a different active layer, that is antiviral and will protect the user from virus contamination more efficiently;
- Process Engineering: the development of a production process starting from the reactants to the casting solution (chemical product) and casting method for face mask application (final product) is innovative; the developed process is optional to actual face mask production, and may not be applied in case there is no market need. In the knowledge of the proponent such technology is not yet existing.
- Emergency management: improvement in emergency management will be reached relying on the nominal worldwide face mask production capacity, insufficient in case of emergency. The enhanced masks are more safe and durable, thus the existing industrial capacity may be sufficient to satisfy the need to provide masks to the population in emergency situations for a limited period of time.
- Sustainability: the reduced life time of face mask gives a huge amount of biocontainated solid wastes that gives problems to the waste management section and to the environment. The development of durable masks will increase suitability of the face mask industry.
- Green chemistry: the use of the spinning disk reactor and the production of resveratrol by green techniques allows to minimise energy consumption and eliminates solvent use, of benefit to the environment.
Nevertheless, the used methods to produce the nanomaterials are consolidated. Indeed, the research group has yet published many papers on successful production of nanoparticles by means of a spinning disk reactor on nanotitania, nanosilica, nanosulfur, nanocopper and nanohydroxypataite (Marco Stoller, Marco Bravi). Concerning nanozeolites, the production by means of a spinning disk reactor is nowadays accepted and submitted to national patent application by Sapienza on behalf of some partecipants of the research group (Giovanna Saviano, Marco Stoller). Finally, production of different bioactive substances by means of different extraction techniques was reported in bibliography by Marco Bravi, Marco Stoller.
Therefore, the project is evaluated to be based on consolidated techniques of TRL4-5 and of type "low risk and high gain".
The expected output of the project should be:
1. Production of nr.3 joint papers on high rated scientific peer review journals, free of charge or combined to congress participation fees;
2. Participation to nr.2 international congresses in 2021 on nanomaterials. Due to CoVid restrictions, it was not yet possible to select specific congresses; at least one in Asia;
3. nr.1 Patent submission of validated technology development;
4. Enforcement of the collaboration between Sapienza and CMU (please check section. external partners) in the existing framework agreement by hosting nr.1 staff personnel of CMU in Rome for 2 weeks;
5. Reaching TRL5 on this technology and on the product.
The here developed technology will allow, if validated, patented and applied, to propose the production of enhanced antiviral and antibacterial face masks to the market in the next future. The research completes with a final product and process design, allowing industry to immidiatly uptake the proposed technology easily.
It is also possible to imagine a stand-alone product that can be applied by the end user on their own face masks independently.
It is the proponent belief that the outcome of the project will be of great benefit to face masks producers and the formation of novel start-ups, end users (medical staff, general population), in nominal or local/global health emergency conditions.
Benefits that will be achieved after the project will be:
1. checking and seeking interest to the new product by the market (stakeholders, start-up) in EU and Asia;
2. checking to further develop this research in the framework of Horizon2020 EU funding schemes.