Polylactic acid as a suitable material for 3D printing of protective masks in times of COVID-19 pandemic
A critical lack of personal protective equipment has occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Polylactic acid (PLA), a polyester made from renewable natural resources, can be exploited for 3D printing of protective face masks using the Fused Deposition Modelling technique. Since the possible high poro...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PeerJ Inc.
2020-10-01
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| Series: | PeerJ |
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/10259.pdf |
| _version_ | 1827606946721562624 |
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| author | Eva Vaňková Petra Kašparová Josef Khun Anna Machková Jaroslav Julák Michal Sláma Jan Hodek Lucie Ulrychová Jan Weber Klára Obrová Karin Kosulin Thomas Lion Vladimír Scholtz |
| author_facet | Eva Vaňková Petra Kašparová Josef Khun Anna Machková Jaroslav Julák Michal Sláma Jan Hodek Lucie Ulrychová Jan Weber Klára Obrová Karin Kosulin Thomas Lion Vladimír Scholtz |
| author_sort | Eva Vaňková |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A critical lack of personal protective equipment has occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Polylactic acid (PLA), a polyester made from renewable natural resources, can be exploited for 3D printing of protective face masks using the Fused Deposition Modelling technique. Since the possible high porosity of this material raised questions regarding its suitability for protection against viruses, we have investigated its microstructure using scanning electron microscopy and aerosol generator and photometer certified as the test system according to the standards EN 143 and EN 149. Moreover, the efficiency of decontaminating PLA surfaces by conventional chemical disinfectants including 96% ethanol, 70% isopropanol, and a commercial disinfectant containing 0.85% sodium hypochlorite has been determined. We confirmed that the structure of PLA protective masks is compact and can be considered a sufficient barrier protection against particles of a size corresponding to microorganisms including viruses. Complete decontamination of PLA surfaces from externally applied Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and SARS-CoV-2 was achieved using all disinfectants tested, and human adenovirus was completely inactivated by sodium hypochlorite-containing disinfectant. Natural contamination of PLA masks worn by test persons was decontaminated easily and efficiently by ethanol. No disinfectant caused major changes to the PLA surface properties, and the pore size did not change despite severe mechanical damage of the surface. Therefore, PLA may be regarded as a suitable material for 3D printing of protective masks during the current or future pandemic crises. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:47:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5b870c2df48043d4966fc636c11a49ad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:47:12Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-5b870c2df48043d4966fc636c11a49ad2023-12-03T10:34:21ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592020-10-018e1025910.7717/peerj.10259Polylactic acid as a suitable material for 3D printing of protective masks in times of COVID-19 pandemicEva Vaňková0Petra Kašparová1Josef Khun2Anna Machková3Jaroslav Julák4Michal Sláma5Jan Hodek6Lucie Ulrychová7Jan Weber8Klára Obrová9Karin Kosulin10Thomas Lion11Vladimír Scholtz12Department of Physics and Measurements, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czech RepublicDepartment of Physics and Measurements, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czech RepublicDepartment of Physics and Measurements, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czech RepublicDepartment of Physics and Measurements, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czech RepublicDepartment of Physics and Measurements, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czech RepublicFaculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Králové, Czech RepublicInstitute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech RepublicInstitute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech RepublicInstitute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech RepublicChildren’s Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, AustriaChildren’s Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, AustriaChildren’s Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Physics and Measurements, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czech RepublicA critical lack of personal protective equipment has occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Polylactic acid (PLA), a polyester made from renewable natural resources, can be exploited for 3D printing of protective face masks using the Fused Deposition Modelling technique. Since the possible high porosity of this material raised questions regarding its suitability for protection against viruses, we have investigated its microstructure using scanning electron microscopy and aerosol generator and photometer certified as the test system according to the standards EN 143 and EN 149. Moreover, the efficiency of decontaminating PLA surfaces by conventional chemical disinfectants including 96% ethanol, 70% isopropanol, and a commercial disinfectant containing 0.85% sodium hypochlorite has been determined. We confirmed that the structure of PLA protective masks is compact and can be considered a sufficient barrier protection against particles of a size corresponding to microorganisms including viruses. Complete decontamination of PLA surfaces from externally applied Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and SARS-CoV-2 was achieved using all disinfectants tested, and human adenovirus was completely inactivated by sodium hypochlorite-containing disinfectant. Natural contamination of PLA masks worn by test persons was decontaminated easily and efficiently by ethanol. No disinfectant caused major changes to the PLA surface properties, and the pore size did not change despite severe mechanical damage of the surface. Therefore, PLA may be regarded as a suitable material for 3D printing of protective masks during the current or future pandemic crises.https://peerj.com/articles/10259.pdfCOVID-19DisinfectionPolylactic acidProtective masksSARS-CoV-23D printing |
| spellingShingle | Eva Vaňková Petra Kašparová Josef Khun Anna Machková Jaroslav Julák Michal Sláma Jan Hodek Lucie Ulrychová Jan Weber Klára Obrová Karin Kosulin Thomas Lion Vladimír Scholtz Polylactic acid as a suitable material for 3D printing of protective masks in times of COVID-19 pandemic PeerJ COVID-19 Disinfection Polylactic acid Protective masks SARS-CoV-2 3D printing |
| title | Polylactic acid as a suitable material for 3D printing of protective masks in times of COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Polylactic acid as a suitable material for 3D printing of protective masks in times of COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Polylactic acid as a suitable material for 3D printing of protective masks in times of COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Polylactic acid as a suitable material for 3D printing of protective masks in times of COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Polylactic acid as a suitable material for 3D printing of protective masks in times of COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | polylactic acid as a suitable material for 3d printing of protective masks in times of covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | COVID-19 Disinfection Polylactic acid Protective masks SARS-CoV-2 3D printing |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/10259.pdf |
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