Our developed a biodegradable civilian masks!

face masks waste, and research collaborative innovation – our country developed a biodegradable civilian masks 2020 sudden outbreak, epidemic prevention and control warfare for winning, focusing on protection of vital medical supplies, during which the consumption of masks the sharp rise. According to the National Development and Reform Commission March 2 to data released by the National mask production can reach 116 million. Masks medical staff fighting the epidemic of weapons, is the shield to protect public health, but also enterprises and orderly return to work to protect resume production. However, the current mask garbage has become a serious hazard, existing masks are basically non-degradable materials polypropylene materials, these waste masks will undoubtedly cause serious environmental pollution. Although China recently will be introduced reusable masks for civil society standard, waste can inhibit the production of masks to some extent, but not completely solve the civilian masks plastic waste, for these high melt index (non-woven fabric is about 90g / 10min, meltblown barrier fabric of about 1000g / 10min) polypropylene masks, lack of efficient recycling program and technology used again. The assumption of approximately 200 million discarded masks a day, equivalent to produce at least 400 tons of waste plastics, will produce 120,000 tons a year of waste plastics. Can produce usually shelf-stable, biodegradable waste after civilian masks, highlighting the strength of China\’s \”hard core\” of support, is an urgent social hot spots. Recently, the Beijing University of Chemical Technology and the Center for Materials Research Laboratory for Advanced Biomedical Materials Beijing elastomer joint Tong Cheng New Materials Group Limited (referred to as Tong Cheng new material), Beijing Bronze Bull Group Co., Ltd. (Beijing Bronze Bull) and Kang Li of Beijing Union Medical protective Equipment Co., Ltd. (Beijing joint Kang), and Beijing Technology and Business University, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology and Zhongyuan University of Technology, degradation design and synthesis of barrier layer materials from bio-barrier layer microfiber spinning , the degradable inner and outer layers is selected to optimize the mask material, and then producing the biodegradable performance evaluation mask , a whole chain of fast formula research, to create a shell of biodegradable material may all new civil generation housing (photo wearing masks and photo mask shown in Figure 1), the biodegradable properties of the mask over the core indicators medical surgical mask (filter efficiency and airflow resistance).

The masksResearch and development, several important breakthroughs of key technologies. Beijing University of Chemical Technology Professor Wang Chaofu research team and Tong Cheng New Materials Group R & D team work closely with the main biodegradable barrier material and fiber cloth manufacturing technology , for the first time designed and synthesized a melt index of up to 1200g / 10min of biodegradable modified polyethylene adipate / terephthalate (PBAT) meltblown (site-modified meltblown PBAT see FIG. 2); breaking the barrier layer nonwoven fiber cloth preparation technology, the barrier layer of nanofibers or microfibers successful spinning (SEM photos barrier layer and the barrier performance test shown in Figure 3). Beijing University of Chemical Technology Institute of Electrical and Zhongyuan in spinning technique , given strong support. Beijing and Beijing Union Topnew Kang main degradable masks Manufacturing Technology , to optimize the inner and outer mask layer material, inside and outside the mask material layer is made of natural cotton fiber knitted fabric . ear with material future research center will use advanced elastomer material developed by Beijing University of Chemical Technology biodegradable polyester elastomer material .

Beijing BUSINESS University of producing biological degradation of the whole mask degradation was evaluated by , the mask storage stability, will not degrade performance degradation or in a common environment. Numerous studies based on past data, only masks the barrier material in the soil compost, degradation will generally in a few months will complete degradation of , it is decomposed by microorganisms, releasing water and carbon dioxide. Beijing University of Chemical Technology from 2003 began to engage in bio-based biodegradable polyester elastomer can research on bio-degradable materials science preparation technology support, won the support of Beijing Natural Science Foundation of key projects and the National Natural Science Foundation of China funds, the recent also participated in the basic sciences center project national Natural Science foundation of China – resource ecology synthetic polymer materials (Beijing University of Chemical Technology as one of the three participating units), presided over the country, \”thirteen five\” keyR & D projects – Preparation of design and industrialization of bio-based rubber. Tong Cheng new material took on the subject of the national \”Thirteen Five\” key R & D projects as Project Leader three units, and from 2018 began the layout of biodegradable materials poly adipate / terephthalate (PBAT) R & D and production. The company involved in the research and development projects as a socially responsible company, committed to the long-term practice of \”material to make the Earth a better place.\” Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Tong Cheng new material, Beijing copper cattle and Beijing jointly Kang four units have been concerned about environmental protection and resource ecological problems are involved in the work \”reusable civilian masks community standards\” established . March 2020, the termination of plastic waste Alliance (The Alliance to End Plastic Waste, referred AEPW) The Tong Cheng new material included one of its members, Tong Cheng new material also become after Sinopec first two to enter the organization\’s China business. Currently Beijing University of Chemical Technology with related companies, will further improve the barrier material, the barrier fiber cloth and ear with a material scale production technology, complete trial production and testing all-type masks products (including civil hygienic and civil protection type), and strive to in the near future in the future, to achieve large-scale production and application can be fully degradable masks, masks ease demand pressures and address the problem of environmental pollution caused by non-degradable masks.