Multifunctional face masks and fabricating methods and applications of same

Abstract

The invention relates to multifunctional face masks/coverings, compositions used in the multifunctional face masks, alternatively solutions of the compositions, manufacturing methods. The multifunctional face mask includes at least one composite layer comprising at least one layer of a nonwoven material and a composition coupled to the at least one layer of the nonwoven material such that the at least one composite layer is super-hydrophilic, adhesive, antiviral and/or antibacterial to trap and/or deactivate one or more of airborne virus, bacteria, pollen particles, and hazardous chemicals. The composition comprises food-grade adhesives, biodegradable adhesives, anions and/or cations of antivirus salts, antifreeze agents, moisture-holding substances, or a combination of them.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multifunctional face mask, comprising:
 at least one composite layer comprising at least one layer of a nonwoven material and a composition coupled to the at least one layer of the nonwoven material such that the at least one composite layer is super-hydrophilic, adhesive, antiviral and/or antibacterial to trap and/or deactivate one or more of airborne virus, bacteria, pollen particles, and hazardous chemicals, wherein the composition comprises food-grade adhesives, biodegradable adhesives, antivirus salts' anions and/or cations, antifreeze agents, moisture-holding substances, or a combination of them.   
     
     
         2 . The multifunctional face mask of  claim 1 , wherein the food-grade adhesives comprise mono-, di-, oligo- and poly-saccharides-based biomolecules, protein-based molecules including glutens and collagens, or a combination of them, wherein the food-grade adhesives are in pure forms, or mixtures with a variety of mixing ratios, ranging from 99% to 1% for each components. 
     
     
         3 . The multifunctional face mask of  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable adhesives comprise polyols containing small-chain carbohydrates, poly-alcohols including sugar alcohols containing one hydroxyl group attached to each carbon atom, mono- and di- and oligo- and poly-saccharides- or starches-based adhesives, protein-based adhesives including glutens and/or collagens, or a combination of them. 
     
     
         4 . The multifunctional face mask of  claim 1 , wherein the anions of the antivirus salts comprise mono-, di- and/or tri-valent anions, and/or small organic acid-based polyatomic anions, wherein the mono-, di- and/or tri-valent anions include F − , Cl − , Br − , I − , SO 4   2− , NO 3   − , PO 4   3− , or a combination of them, and wherein the small organic acid-based polyatomic anions include acetate, citrate, gluconate, lactate, oxalate, or a combination of them. 
     
     
         5 . The multifunctional face mask of  claim 1 , wherein the cations in the anti-coronavirus salts comprise Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Sr 2+ , Ba 2+ , Al 3+ , Sn 2+ , Bi 3+ , V 3+ , Cr 3+ , Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , Fe 3+ , Co 2+ , Co 3+ , Ni 2+ , Ni 3+ , Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , or a combination of them. 
     
     
         6 . The multifunctional face mask of  claim 1 , wherein the antivirus salts comprising Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Sr 2+ , Ba 2+ , Al 3+ , Sn 2+ , Bi 3+ , V 3+ , Cr 3+ , Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , Fe 3+ , Co 2+ , Co 3+ , Ni 2+ , Ni 3+ , Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , are in pure forms, or mixtures with a variety of mixing ratios, either with the same cations but different anions or the same anions but different cations. 
     
     
         7 . The multifunctional face mask of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven material comprises fibers of synthetic and/or natural materials, in pure forms or mixed forms, and for 3-ply, 4-ply, 5-ply, and/or more layers stacking together, wherein the synthetic materials comprise plastics, and the natural materials comprise cellulose, wool, cotton, or a combination of them. 
     
     
         8 . The multifunctional face mask of  claim 7 , wherein the fibers have fiber-lengths, fiber-diameters, and/or fiber-surface chemical functional groups that are variable over a range in either the pure forms or the mixed forms. 
     
     
         9 . The multifunctional face mask of  claim 1 , wherein the antivirus salts and the food-grade adhesives are mixed with the antifreeze agents, and the moisture-holding salts over a range of mixing ratios. 
     
     
         10 . The multifunctional face mask of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is coated on, and/or impregnated in the at least one layer of the nonwoven material. 
     
     
         11 . The multifunctional face mask of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one composite layer is adapted concertedly to denature nanospike proteins on the coronavirus surface and to wrap the coronavirus nanospike surface with the adhesives to make the nanospike no longer functional. 
     
     
         12 . The multifunctional face mask of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one inner layer and at least one outer layer, wherein the at least one composite layer is positioned between the at least one inner layer and the at least one outer layer. 
     
     
         13 . The multifunctional face mask of  claim 12 , wherein each of the at least one inner layer, the at least one outer layer and the at least one composite layer is formed by lint-free, natural, low cost, biocompatible and biodegradable fibers-turned nonwoven materials that are synthetic or natural materials. 
     
     
         14 . The multifunctional face mask of  claim 12 , wherein the exterior surface of the at least one outer layer is adapted to be super-hydrophobic and electrostatically charged for preventing the one or more of airborne virus, bacteria, pollen particles, and hazardous chemicals from sticking on or penetrating through the at least one outer layer. 
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing a multifunctional face mask, comprising:
 providing a solution containing a composition, wherein the composition comprises food-grade adhesives, biodegradable adhesives, anions and/or cations of antivirus salts, antifreeze agents, moisture-holding substances, or a combination of them; and   applying the solution to at least one layer of a nonwoven material so that the composition is coated on, and/or impregnated in the at least one layer of the nonwoven material to form at least one composite layer therewith, such that the at least one composite layer is super-hydrophilic, adhesive, antiviral and/or antibacterial to trap and/or deactivate one or more of airborne virus, bacteria, pollen particles, and hazardous chemicals.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said providing the solution comprises mixing the composition with water over a range of concentrations from 1% to 99%. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said applying the solution to the at least one layer of the nonwoven material comprises:
 spraying the solution to the at least one layer of the nonwoven material; or   soaking the at least one layer of the nonwoven material in the solution.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the food-grade adhesives comprise sugar-based biomolecules, oligosaccharide-based biomolecules, polysaccharide-based biomolecules, protein-based molecules including glutens and collagens, or a combination of them, wherein the food-grade adhesives are in pure forms or mixtures with a variety of mixing ratios. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the biodegradable adhesives comprise polyols, poly-alcohols, saccharide-based adhesives, protein-based adhesives, or a combination of them. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the anions of the antivirus salts comprise mono-, di- and/or tri-valent anions, and/or small organic acid-based polyatomic anions, wherein the mono-, di- and/or tri-valent anions include F − , Cl − , Br − , I − , SO 4   2− , NO 3   − , PO 4   3− , or a combination of them, and wherein the small organic acid-based polyatomic anions include acetate, citrate, gluconate, lactate, oxalate, or a combination of them. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the cations in the anti-coronavirus salts comprise Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Sr 2+ , Ba 2+ , Al 3+ , Sn 2+ , Bi 3+ , V 3+ , Cr 3+ , Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , Fe 3+ , Co 2+ , Co 3+ , Ni 2+ , Ni 3+ , Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , or a combination of them. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the nonwoven material comprises fibers of synthetic and/or natural materials, in pure forms or mixed forms, and for 3-ply, 4-ply, 5-ply, and/or more layers stacking together, wherein the synthetic materials comprise plastics, and the natural materials comprise cellulose, wool, cotton, or a combination of them. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising assembling the at least one composite layer with at least one inner layer and at least one outer layer, such that the at least one composite layer is positioned between the at least one inner layer and the at least one outer layer. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein each of the at least one inner layer, the at least one outer layer and the at least one composite layer is formed of lint-free, natural, low cost, biocompatible and biodegradable fibers-turned nonwoven material. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising applying the solution to the exterior surface of the at least one outer layer for preventing the one or more of airborne virus, bacteria, pollen particles, and hazardous chemicals from sticking on or penetrating through the at least one outer layer. 
     
     
         26 . A composition used in a multifunctional face mask for trapping and/or deactivating one or more of airborne virus, bacteria, pollen particles and hazardous chemicals, comprising:
 food-grade adhesives, biodegradable adhesives, anions and/or cations of antivirus salts, antifreeze agents, moisture-holding substances, or a combination of them.   
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the food-grade adhesives comprise sugar-based biomolecules, oligosaccharide-based biomolecules, polysaccharide-based biomolecules, protein-based molecules including glutens and collagens, or a combination of them, wherein the food-grade adhesives are in pure forms or mixtures with a variety of mixing ratios. 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the biodegradable adhesives comprise polyols, poly-alcohols, saccharide-based adhesives, protein-based adhesives, or a combination of them. 
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the anions of the antivirus salts comprise mono-, di- and/or tri-valent anions, and/or small organic acid-based polyatomic anions, wherein the mono-, di- and/or tri-valent anions include F − , Cl − , Br − , I − , SO 4   2− , NO 3   − , PO 4   3− , or a combination of them, and wherein the small organic acid-based polyatomic anions include acetate, citrate, gluconate, lactate, oxalate, or a combination of them. 
     
     
         30 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the cations in the anti-coronavirus salts comprise Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Sr 2+ , Ba 2+ , Al 3 ′+, Sn 2+ , Bi 3+ , V 3+ , Cr 3+ , Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , Fe 3+ , Co 2+ , Co 3+ , Ni 2+ , Ni 3+ , Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , or a combination of them.