Antibacterial Activity and Protection Efficiency of Polyvinyl Butyral Nanofibrous Membrane Containing Thymol Prepared through Vertical Electrospinning

Lu, Wen-Chi; Chen, Ching-Yi; Cho, Chia-Jung; Venkatesan, Manikandan; Chiang, Wei-Hung; Yu, Yang-Yen; Lee, Chen-Hung; Lee, Rong-Ho; Rwei, Syang-Peng; Kuo, Chi-Ching

Human safety, health management, and disease transmission prevention have become crucial tasks in the present COVID-19 pandemic situation. Masks are widely available and create a safer and disease transmission–free environment. This study presents a facile method of fabricating masks through electrospinning nontoxic polyvinyl butyral (PVB) polymeric matrix with the antibacterial component Thymol, a natural phenol monoterpene. Based on the results of Japanese Industrial Standards and American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists methods, the maximum antibacterial value of the mask against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was 5.6 and 6.4, respectively. Moreover, vertical electrospinning was performed to prepare Thymol/PVB nanofiber masks, and the effects of parameters on the submicron particulate filtration efficiency (PFE), differential pressure, and bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE) were determined. Thorough optimization of the small-diameter nanofiber–based antibacterial mask led to denser accumulation and improved PFE and pressure difference; the mask was thus noted to meet the present pandemic requirements. The as-developed nanofibrous masks have the antibacterial activity suggested by the National Standard of the Republic of China (CNS 14774) for general medical masks. Their BFE reaches 99.4%, with a pressure difference of <5 mmH(2)O/cm(2). The mask can safeguard human health and promote a healthy environment.