Sputtering-Deposited Ultra-Thin Ag–Cu Films on Non-Woven Fabrics for Face Masks with Antimicrobial Function and Breath NO<sub>x</sub> Response

The multifunctional development in the field of face masks and the growing demand for scalable manufacturing have become increasingly prominent. In this study, we utilized high-vacuum magnetron sputtering technology to deposit a 5 nm ultra-thin Ag–Cu film on non-woven fabric and fabricated ultra-thi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xuemei Huang, Qiao Hu, Jia Li, Wenqing Yao, Chun Wang, Yun Feng, Weijie Song
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-03-01
Series:Materials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/17/7/1574
Description
Summary:The multifunctional development in the field of face masks and the growing demand for scalable manufacturing have become increasingly prominent. In this study, we utilized high-vacuum magnetron sputtering technology to deposit a 5 nm ultra-thin Ag–Cu film on non-woven fabric and fabricated ultra-thin Ag–Cu film face masks. The antibacterial rates against <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> were 99.996% and 99.978%, respectively, while the antiviral activity against influenza A virus H1N1 was 99.02%. Furthermore, the mask’s ability to monitor respiratory system diseases was achieved through color change (from brownish-yellow to grey-white). The low cost and scalability potential of ultra-thin silver–copper film masks offer new possibilities for practical applications of multifunctional masks.
ISSN:1996-1944