Saving 80% Polypropylene in Facemasks by Laser-Assisted Melt-Blown Nanofibers

The
ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic requires enormous production
of facemasks and related personal protection materials, thereby increasing
the amount of nondegradable plastic waste. The core material for facemasks
is melt-blown polypropylene (PP) fiber. Each disposable facemask consumes
∼0.7 g of PP fibers, resulting in annual global consumption
and disposal of more than 1 150 000 tons of PP fibers
annually. Herein, we developed a laser-assisted melt-blown (LAMB)
technique to manufacture PP nanofibers with a quality factor of 0.17
Pa–1 and significantly reduced the filter’s
weight. We demonstrated that a standard surgical facemask could be
made with only 0.13 g of PP nanofibers, saving approximately 80% of
the PP materials used in commercial facemasks. Theoretical analysis
and modeling were also conducted to understand the LAMB process. Importantly,
nanofibers can be easily scaled up for mass production by upgrading
traditional melt blown line with scanning laser-assisted melt-blown
(SLAMB).