A MODULAR ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIVIRAL FACE MASK AND A MANUFACTURING METHOD AGAINST EPIDEMICS

Technical field related to the invention

The field of the invention is face masks. More clearly, it is related to a mask providing prevention of viral forms via nanostructured material and bamboo fabric instead of conventional filters that are used in face masks and mask manufacturing method.

Disadvantages of the prior art

It is an obvious fact that microorganisms affect human health negatively. Especially, the development of microorganisms' resistance to used medicines day by day, put them into a dangerous position more than ever. There are viral forms that are still contradictive if they are accepted to the class of microorganisms and threatening human health in higher level. Viral forms are microscopic particles that can infect living cells and can reproduce via only this way. Because the vaccines used against terminal epidemics caused by these forms are effective against only a certain part of viruses, an exact outcome about the solution cannot be obtained. World Health Organization reports show that viral epidemics that can cause holocausts around the world can appear at any time. Accordingly; it is obvious that a design of a new face mask, which provides that critical sectors like defense, health, education, security are not affected in a global virus epidemic, is required.

There are a lot of preferred mask types. Within these types; while a part of these types has nanostructured filter material, the other part has only a fabric that performs a simple filter duty. The existing face masks have a partial function against bacteria conventionally. However; function of bacteria changes according to their sizes. The property which designates it is that bacteria are approximately in the scale of 1000 nanometers namely 1 micron. In this case it is not enough to kill viruses in the size of 100 nanometers because the pore size of conventional masks is larger. Mask filters made of synthesized nanomaterials deactivate viruses with different mechanisms by damaging their DNAs. In addition, it is prevented that the viruses are breathed by prevention of viruses to pass through pores physically via keeping pore sizes of used filters under 100 nanometers.

On the other hand, the size of bacteria in a nano technological solution constitutes an advantage in the field of nanotechnology. The produced nanosized materials are generally under 100 nanometers. It provides that bacteria are kept in an area which has a size that bacteria cannot pass through and additionally where overreactive groups are found together. This reactive groups that nanoforms have damage structures of bacteria cell walls and then cause them dying by entering their metabolisms. It is nanostructured filters' disadvantages that not having any response to the viral treats, in the terms of viral epidemics, whereas they can inhibit current possible bacterial activity.

This mentioned type of conventional masks has a partial effect against bacterial threats, however; because of sizes of viral forms, it does not have the capacity for prevention of this threat completely.

The other method is the filters made by using bamboo material. Bamboo is configured into coal in the manufacturing step firstly, then it is produced in the form of nanocomposite. The main disadvantages of manufacturing method of this type of masks are that a lot of chemicals are used especially in the process of configuring bamboo into coal and accordingly processes include a long period. The usage of coal in these processes decreases being antibacterial of the system.

The purpose of the invention The special purpose of the invention is to remove these known disadvantages of the technique. More clearly, the purpose of the invention is to provide a new antibacterial and antiviral mask to increase effectiveness of the existing face masks and manufacturing method for the disclosed face mask to be produced from bamboo material with the nanotechnological production steps different from the conventional manufacturing methods.

Another purpose of the invention is to obtain an antiviral and antibacterial mask which does not still exist in the market by that bamboo material is subjected to process steps nanotechnologically. Another purpose of the invention is that the effectiveness of the mask can be increased by a single layer or more than one layer in accordance with production conditions.

Another purpose of this invention is that an effective product against not only bacterial forms but also viral forms can be obtained by supporting filter material with nanostructures.

Another purpose of this invention is to obtain a natural antibacterial filter because filter material is bamboo.

Another purpose of the invention is to have a manufacturing method applied without being lost antibacterial property of masks in comparison with masks obtained by conventional nanotechnological manufacturing method. Brief description of the invention

In this invention, it is provided that nanostructures with different morphologies stick onto zeolite forms in a very short time without reaching any high temperatures. Zeolite is a natural material with porous structure as a result of its structure. With a partial heating, high temperature is out of the question, it is provided that metallic nanostructures hold on to especially around the pore and the other parts of zeolite. Then covering of the obtained zeolite based powder onto bamboo fabric is realized by immersion and spray methods. Bamboo is a plant that has antibacterial property by nature. Thus, it protects this property with the fabric obtained from here. By covering powders whose production is realized onto this fabric which is mainly obtained from China with immersion and spray, antiviral ability is added to its antibacterial property.

Brief description of the figures

Figure 1: Perspective view of the disclosed filter layers in the invention

Figure 2: Perspective view of the filter lid

Figure 3: Perspective view of the main body of mask

Description of the references in the figures:

Parts in the attached figures are numbered one by one for the purpose of this invention and the equivalents of this numbers are given below.

1. Mask

11. Body

111. Filter

1111. Lower layer

1112. Bamboo layer

1113. Meltable

1114. Upper layer

1115. Gasket

1116. Filter lid

11161. Pore

100 Manufacturing method

Detailed description of the invention

Fabric production from bamboo tree is the point due to its disclosed properties. This fabric, that preferred in many different areas, is used as a material which keeps filter(l 11) matrix element's (nanostructures) in the mask(l). Nanostructures with different morphologies are synthesized. The application used during synthesizing is a hydrothermal manufacturing method(lOO). The particles that are metal oxide forms are synthesized in different types and morphologies under a certain temperature and pressure with this method. After this process, zeolite is used on the purpose of support for nanoparticles. Zeolites are aluminum silicates exposed to hydration and have a structure like uniform honeycombs. These structures have circles called as window. With the obtained nano powders it is aimed that these windows are narrowed down, additionally antibacterial and antiviral property is gained to zeolite by covering its surface. For this, zeolite solution is prepared by using distilled water and then nano powders are added respectively and they are mixed via magnetic stirrer. Finally, they are exposed to drying process.

The disclosed mask(l) of the invention is related to the manufacturing method(lOO) of an antibacterial and antiviral mask(l) as described above which comprises these steps,

- Adding sodium chloride (NaCl) into distilled water and raising the temperature to 80°C,

- Adding zeolite at the reached temperature and carrying out mixing process for four hours,

- Cooling at the room temperature and putting into the drying oven to dry,

- Preparing solution by using the dried powder and distilled water and adding titanium tetra isopropoxide (TTIP),

- After addition, performing the mixing process via magnetic stirrer for eight hours,

- Covering the obtained powder after drying onto the bamboo fabric by spray method, performing spray process onto the fabrics in 5x5 cm size.

Bamboo layer(1112) is the main element of the filter(l l l) and it performs as the fabric covered by nanostructures. Mask(l) consists of body(l l) and filter(l l l). Filter(l l l) consists of lower layer(l l l l), bamboo layer(1112), meltable (1113), upper layer(1114), gasket(1115) and filter lid(l 116) from bottom to top respectively. Filter lid(l 116) has pores(11161) and it helps that passing is not allowed in the bacteria respiration. Lower layer(l l l l) is the layer obtained as laminated here, behaves as increasing element for strength of the structure and low filtration. In addition, meltable(1113) is used as a helper element for providing filtration in a certain percentage. While upper layer(1114) is the layer obtained as laminated here, it behaves as increasing element for strength of the structure and low filtration as well as lower layer(l 111). Gasket(l 115) located under the filter lid(l 116) perform as a holder here.