Face masks have become an important tool in fighting
against the COVID-19 pandemic. However, improper use or disposal of
masks may lead to “secondary transmission”. A research team from
City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has successfully produced
graphene masks with an anti-bacterial efficiency of 80%, which can
be enhanced to almost 100% with exposure to sunlight for around 10
minutes. Initial tests also showed very promising results in the
deactivation of two species of coronaviruses. The graphene masks
are easily produced at low cost, and can help to resolve the
problems of sourcing raw materials and disposing of
non-biodegradable masks.
