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Taiwan Tech Research Shows Promise for Biodegradable Face Masks

Taiwan Tech Research Shows Promise for Biodegradable Face Masks

In the fight against Covid-19, surgical face masks have become one of the most important tools in the arsenal for slowing the spread of the virus. They are certainly one of the most conspicuous as well, a constant visual reminder for us to stay vigilant against the virus. And while we use them quite fleetingly as individuals, as a matter of collective waste, they pose a long-term environmental problem. Most masks today are made from polypropylene (PP) which can take 20 to 30 years to decompose in landfills. As an indispensable layer of protection against the Covid-19 virus, the demand for disposable masks is here to stay. Research into sustainable materials can help solve the dilemma of how to produce them more responsibly.

Masks market chart 1

Image 1: Continuous growth of the global respiratory masks market (source: MarketResearch.com)

As a leading university in the field of polymer materials, Taiwan Tech has a long-standing history of polymer research for semiconductor manufacturing. One such example is sugar-based organic field effect transistors (OFET), which have been a game-changer in this crucial industry. Just as organic and viable biomass materials have been incorporated in semiconductors, so does this technology show promise as an organic, biodegradable material for the production of more eco-friendly medical masks.

Professor Yu-Cheng Chiu from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Taiwan Tech has been spearheading this research since last year. Mask fibers made from sugar-based polymers charged with in-situ electrostatic charge have the capacity to attract microorganisms and other particulates, boosting the overall filtration efficiency. Dextrin, a biopolymer derived from potatoes, has already shown encouraging results for its antibacterial and static charge. “There are many sugar-based polymers in nature which we can utilize to become a biodegradable face mask. However, we need to ensure those materials are able to produce fibers with water as the solvent and can be reacted with silane, yet still maintain their static charges, and also have hydrophobic abilities. Therefore, the cost of production can be acceptable for the public,” said Professor Chiu.

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pic.1pic.2Image 2: Dextrin-Silane polymer with a static current in its structure, proven by an organic field effect transistor performance test

(source: unpublished research, Biodegradable Face Mask from Sugar-based Polymer for Preventing COVID-19, by Prof. Yu-Cheng Chiu and Jia-Hua Ye)

Jia-Hua Ye, a project officer who is also a graduate student in Prof. Chiu’s research group, raised the possibility that other polymers such as Pullulan (biopolymer from mushrooms), k-Carrageenan (biopolymer from seaweed), and Hypromellose (biopolymer from biomass wastes) may have the same potential as Dextrin. “Although NTUST has all sophisticated equipment to test the materials, the most challenging part is to make sure the polymer material does not break after the electrospinning process for producing fibers and does not lose their electrostatic ability. Moreover, we try to use new sugar-based polymer sources that do not come from feedstock, so it will not compete with the main food supply,” explained Jia-Hua.

Research from Taiwan Tech has demonstrated the potential for an organically-derived, antibacterial material to be used for the large-scale production of cost-effective and biodegradable medical masks. It is expected that the research will be finalized and registered for patent by the end of 2022. As we prepare to live with the Covid-19 virus for years to come, the surge in demand for protective face masks is unlikely to disappear. Thanks to the innovation of Taiwan Tech materials researchers, wide-spread disposable mask use need not be a tradeoff between protecting ourselves and protecting the environment.

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