“Smart” masks designed in Latina

THE PROJECT

If there is one thing we all remember from the pandemic period it is certainly the use of the mask. Unavailable in the first period, both the surgical ones and the Ffp2 ones which then effectively replaced the former due to their greater protection. Of course, however, those masks caused various problems, both from a dermatological and environmental point of view, as they were found everywhere on the ground. Now a revolutionary discovery comes from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine of the Sapienza University of Latina, and is curated by Professor Luciano De Sio together with colleagues Federica Zaccagnini, Daniela De Biase, Francesca Bovieri, Giovanni Perotto, Erica Quagliarini, Irene Bavasso, Giorgio Mangino, Marco Iuliano, Antonella Calogero, Giovanna Romeo, Dharmendra Pratap Singh, Filippo Pierini, Giulio Caracciolo, Francesca Petronella.

But what is it? «It is a new generation of Ffp2 (Filtering Face Piece of type 2) intelligent face masks obtained by integrating broadband hybrid nanomaterials and a self-assembled optical metasurface». It seems like something out of science fiction and in reality the study behind it is very detailed: «The multifunctional face mask simultaneously has on-demand disinfection properties assisted by white light and biosensing capabilities», essentially meaning that it is reusable.

How is it possible? «These properties are achieved by a powerful combination of thermoplasmonic white light-sensitive hybrid nanomaterials, which have excellent photothermal disinfection properties, and metasurface-based optical biosensors, with a very low detection limit of pathogens. The created system is studied in optical, morphological, spectroscopic and cell viability analysis experiments and in the environmental monitoring of harmful pathogens, thus highlighting the properties of reusability and detection of pathogens”.

The idea was born precisely in the Covid period: «The emergency linked to the spread of the new coronavirus has highlighted the urgent need to create extremely high-performance personal protective equipment, exploiting the properties of advanced materials. Using the chemical and physical properties offered by nanomaterials (gold and copper) and taking advantage of the enormous potential of artificial intelligence, we have created new self-disinfecting, reusable and customizable masks”, explains Professor De Sio. The creation of the intelligent Ffp2 masks was supported by NATO (Science for peace and security programme), by Afos (Air Force Office of Scientifics Research), by Sapienza and by Uif–Ufi, an institution promoting university and scientific collaboration between Italy and France.

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