On-mask Chemical Modulation of Respiratory Droplets

NU 2020-180

INVENTORS
Jiaxing Huang*
Haiyue Huang
Hun Park

DESCRIPTION
Mask treatment that chemically deactivates exhaled droplets passing through the mask fabric with anti-pathogenic molecules

BACKGROUND
Transmission of infectious respiratory diseases starts from pathogen-laden droplets released during coughing, sneezing or speaking. Global respiratory protection market in the healthcare industry is expected to grow due to the impact of Covid-19, with greater growth predicted during 2023-2025. The rise in volume of face masks produced and sold is due to their ability to block transmission of exhaled, infectious droplets and particulates. There is significant evidence that face masks help reduce the spread of respiratory viral and bacterial infections. Although masks help localize pathogen-laden droplets, they cannot filter out infectious carriers entirely.

ABSTRACT
Northwestern researchers have developed chemically modified masks that deactivate droplet or particle borne pathogens which can pass through the fabric layer. The technology is available immediately for non-exclusive, royalty-free, Ready-to-Sign licensing. The effectiveness of the invention has been quantified with masking layers loaded with copper salt, which is an anti-pathogenic molecule. Through imaging, it has been shown that treated fabrics with lower fiber density than commercial masks can already deactivate 82% of penetrating droplets by volume. In practice, the modulation layer can be applied as an add-on to the outer surface or as an insert to the common mask. They may be deployed in hospitals or in makeshift shelter hospitals where both patients and healthcare workers are exposed to high-dose, long-range transmission of respiratory pathogens; these chemically enhanced masks can reduce the infectiousness of the wearer. The technology has a strong, immediate impact for the COVID-19 pandemic and may see sustained, moderate growth of usage cases within the next five years as respiratory infections become a globally visible public health issue.

APPLICATIONS

Strengthen the public health response to the current pandemic or future outbreaks of infectious respiratory diseases.
- Reduce infectiousness in hospitals where healthcare workers and patients are vulnerable to high pathogen transmission rates.
- Reduce transmission and infection in public health under outbreak of bacterial or viral respiratory diseases.

PUBLICATION
Huang, H., Park, H., Liu, Y., & Huang, J. (2020). On-Mask Chemical Modulation of Respiratory Droplets. Matter, 3: 1791 - 1810.

IP STATUS
A US Provisional Patent Application has been filed