We aim to develop a filter material that is effective at stopping very small particles, smaller than the COV19 virus (60nm) and thus effectively stop virus transmission. This filter material will be integrated in masks for the general public, to help with a safe return to work and will be certified for viral filtration efficiency independently.

The UK economy is forecast to shrink 35%, with 2 million jobs lost. Until immunisation becomes available nation-wide (and worldwide), there is a significant risk of major disruption and the UK cannot afford a return to lockdown. Face masks are the new norm, but, apart from the high-end medical N95 respirators, no other filters are rated to stop viruses effectively. The supply of high-end respirators must be prioritised for frontline medical staff.

Our solution is to manufacture filters using polymer nanofibres made from a biocompatible material, filters which are highly-breathable, flexible and can be used as inserts into textile, simple face masks. This will increase the protection of cloth masks (even home-made ones) significantly, with the efficiency then being ruled by the tightness of the fit around the filter/face. The polymer nanofibres will also use static electricity to trap even the smallest of nanoparticles, and may be of further use in areas of high pollution or for people with chronic respiratory problems.

Nanofibres are produced using a high electric field to pull a fibre out of a droplet of solution on the end of a needle (a process called electrospinning), a very slow process that would make filters for ~3 masks/day. Due to electrostatic shielding, bringing more needles to bear is not a linear process, requiring higher and more unsafe voltages, and limiting the choice of polymers that can be used (eg. no flammable solvents). Our innovation is a modular solution that increases deposition rates by 1000 - 10000 times per module.

In this project, we will develop the prototype filter material, validate it independently for viral filtration and move to trial production, followed by large-area pilot production.