Face masks made from a variety of fabric materials filter out nano-sized aerosols
But live bacteria and viruses are on the surface of the maskmay still be contagious. Scientists wanted to develop a new cotton fabric that would release reactive oxygen species (ROS) when exposed to daylight. This way it could kill germs stuck to the surface of the fabric. It was important to the scientists that the masks were washable, reusable and safe for the wearer.
As a result, the scientists managed to realize their plans.
They created antimicrobial tissue by attachingthe positively charged chains of 2-diethylaminoethyl chloride to regular cotton. The researchers then dyed the modified cotton in a negatively charged photosensitizer solution. It is this compound that allows ROS to be released upon exposure to light.
Scientists conducted an experiment and found that theirthe fabric killed 99.9999% of bacteria added to the fabric. This took 60 minutes of exposure to daylight. Further testing showed that the material could be hand washed at least 10 times and continuously exposed to daylight for at least 7 days without losing the fabric's antimicrobial properties.
Read also
The Doomsday glacier turned out to be more dangerous than scientists thought. We tell the main thing
NASA: Moon will reflect Earth's bright light in November
The newly discovered primate is already on the verge of extinction, although the species lives for a million years