Multilayer Textile Filtration Media for Washable Fine-Particle Masks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing masks, particularly single-use medical masks and artisanal washable masks, suffer from poor filtration efficiency over fine particles, structural instability after cleaning, and reduced breathability, leading to environmental and health issues.
Innovation Solution
A filtration medium composed of multiple layers of textiles with non-aligned fiber orientations, sealed together to enhance isotropy, providing high filtration efficiency and breathability, and designed for durability through multiple cleaning cycles without loss of performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If single-use medical masks are used to provide high particles filtration efficiency, then filtration performance is improved, but environmental waste increases and economic costs rise due to frequent replacements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables recovery and reuse of the filtration medium through washable construction. The textile-based filtration medium can be cleaned and reused multiple times, replacing the single-use disposal model. This reduces environmental waste while maintaining filtration performance through proper cleaning protocols that preserve the textile structure and filtration capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive single-use medical masks with affordable, reusable textile masks. The filtration medium is constructed from washable textile materials that can be economically produced and reused, eliminating the need for continuous purchase of disposable masks while reducing environmental impact.
2Loss of substance
If artisanal washable masks are used to reduce waste, then environmental impact is reduced, but filtration efficiency over fine particles deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite textile structures combining different textile materials and constructions to achieve both washability and fine particle filtration. The filtration medium integrates multiple textile layers with complementary properties, where the composite structure provides mechanical strength for washing while maintaining porous architecture for efficient fine particle filtration performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes porous textile structures as the filtration medium. The porous architecture of the textile materials provides filtration pathways for fine particles while maintaining breathability. The porous structure is inherently washable and can be cleaned multiple times without collapsing, preserving both filtration efficiency and environmental sustainability.
3Loss of substance
If masks are cleaned to be reusable, then environmental waste is reduced, but structural stability deteriorates after a few cleaning cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the physical and chemical parameters of the textile materials to enhance washability and structural stability. Textile treatments and material selections are optimized to resist degradation during cleaning cycles, maintaining structural integrity and filtration performance over multiple uses. The textile construction parameters are designed to withstand repeated washing without collapsing or deforming.
4Reliability
If filters are made dense to improve filtration efficiency, then particle filtration is improved, but breathability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous textile materials that provide efficient filtration through controlled porosity. The porous structure allows air and particles to pass through with minimal resistance, maintaining breathability while effectively filtering particles. The porous architecture is optimized to balance filtration efficiency with respiratory comfort, eliminating the need for dense, non-breathable filters.
Data Source
AI summary
A list of highly suitable textiles and a method to combine them into a durable reusable filtration medium with high particles filtration efficiency (PFE) and breathability that lasts over 50-75 laundering cycles. Filtration medium achieves PFE only through mechanical means, without fragile and harmful physicochemical pre-treatments. Different textiles are assembled considering their individual breathability and their complementary in terms of PFE on different particles' sizes to achieve good breathability and high PFE on a large range (20 nm-4 μm) after many laundering cycles, or several layers of the same textile are paired, while varying the fibers' orientation and dimensions in each layer to increase efficiency. This assembling method highly improves PFE, service life and performances' stability of the filtration medium by addressing structural weaknesses linked to anisotropy in each layer, and by protecting their fine fibers from mechanical wear and clogging through a face-to-face closed filtration cell-type pairing.