Electrothermal sterilization and self-powered real-time respiratory monitoring of reusable mask based on Ag micro-mesh films

Since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreaks, the utilization of medical masks plays a critical role in reducing the infected risk. However, constructing multifunctional masks to achieve simultaneously self-sterilization, reusability, and respiratory monitoring capability remains still a huge challenge. Herein, a reusable Ag micro-mesh film-based mask is proposed, which enables the capabilities of electrothermal sterilization and self-powered real-time respiratory monitoring. Highly conductive Ag micro-mesh films prepared by continuous draw spinning method demonstrate excellent electrothermal performances for thermal sterilization and serve as working electrode to fabricate triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) for real-time respiratory monitoring, respectively. Under a low driving voltage of 3.0 V, the surface temperature of Ag micro-mesh film enables a quick increase to over 60 °C within 30 s, which endows thermal sterilization against S. aureus with antibacterial efficiency of 95.58 % within 20 min to achieve the self-sterilization of medical masks. Furthermore, a self-powered alarm system based on the fabricated TENG as respiratory monitor is developed for real-time respiratory monitoring to render a timely treatment for patients in danger of tachypnea and apnea. Consequently, this work has paved a new and practical avenue to achieve reusable multifunctional masks with capabilities of electrothermal sterilization and real-time respiratory monitoring in clinical medicine.