This article was originally published here

ACS application program interface. November 19, 2021. doi: 10.1021/acsami.1c12227. Online before printing.

The management of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) partly relies on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). As a representative of personal protective equipment, masks have made a particularly significant contribution. However, the most commonly used masks are made of materials that lack the inactivation properties of SARS-CoV-2 or multi-drug resistant bacteria. Therefore, due to the live microbial load escaping from the mask, symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals wearing masks can still infect others. In addition, contact with masks will cause microbial contact and spread, and discarded masks are an increasing source of contaminated biological waste, posing a serious threat to the environment. Therefore, during the current pandemic, many researchers are committed to developing masks made of advanced materials with inherent antibacterial, self-cleaning, reusable and/or biodegradable properties, so as to provide protection against pathogens in a sustainable manner. Additional protection. To outline this extraordinary effort against COVID-19, this review describes the different types of commercialized masks, their main manufacturing methods and processing methods, and the progress made in the development of masks.