From 3f213aac17ded740ca533306d0a2c8ce185b4d54 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Paloma GR <palomagr@mit.edu> Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2020 12:47:07 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] Update README.md --- README.md | 41 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- 1 file changed, 40 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index ac5fdf6..abd4ab7 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,2 +1,41 @@ -# Wood Pulp Filter +# Wood Pulp Filter for Covid - 19 + +This project is been developed by +[Paloma Gonzalez](http://palomagr.mit.edu/index.html) and +[José Tomás Domínguez](https://www.arauco.cl) in a collaboration of +Arauco and [UTFSM Fablab](https://www.fablabs.io/labs/fablabutfsm) and [MIT CBA](http://cba.mit.edu/). + +COVID-19 has generated a global demand for face masks that our supply chains haven't been able to satisfy. Therefore, there is a huge need to create new materials and manufacturing methods to fabricate face masks and filters. We are working on a wood pulp filter that protects from Covid - 19, and could potentially be produced anywhere where there is a wood pulp factory. Wood pulp factories are present in most regions of the world. + +Our goal is to physically modify wood pulp sheets to achieve the filtering performance of a N95 filter to produce a functional +layer for respirators / masks / PPE for the corona viruses. +[Wood pulp is the raw material for paper towels with the capacity of filtering particles of 0.3 μm.](https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/paper-towel-effective-against-viruses-diy-mask/) +The corona virus measures approximately 0.1 μm. We can modify the compaction of the layers and/ or the size of the fibers to increase their filtering capacity / breathability. + +We are also developing a face mask which filters can be exchanged, +completely out of wood pulp to be able to use our raw material. +[Our design is based on Wasp’s design](https://www.3dwasp.com/en/3d-printed-mask-from-3d-scanning/) but we are looking to work with injection molding +and/or 2 mold processes instead of 3D printing. +It is crucial to be able to mass produce the masks. +The advantage of Wasp design is that the filters are held on the inside side of the mask. +We think that this detail would help decrease the contamination of the filters when changing them. +There are also fabric masks in which these filters could work [like this one, the HKMask](url). + +Key Steps: +SEM Measurements, measure the porosity of the wood pulp sheets; it must be >0.1um +Particle counting measurement, measure filtering capacity of the material, the ideal scenario will be an N95 filtering capacity. +In case the material's porosity is bigger than 0.1um or the filtering capacity isn’t enough, Arauco is going to modify their manufacturing process to get a tighter material, or we are going to test a Electrospinning machine. +Make the material Hydrophobic. + + +Filter Development +Wood pulp sheets have the following disadvantages: +Hydrophilic, absorbs any liquid very fast so it could have a lower life expectancy and could absorb contaminated droplets, this can be controlled through design or modifying the material properties. +Due to air flow, the user could inhale wood pulp fibers, we are adding wood pulp based fabrics to act as a filter. It’s relevant to point out that wood fibers aren’t toxic, you just can’t digest them. +FDM 3D printed masks are slow to produce and have a porosity bigger than >0.1um, we are looking to develop the plastic parts of the mask through injection molding. + + + + + -- GitLab