Reusable and self-sterilization mask for real-time personal protection based on sunlight-driven photocatalytic reaction

Personal protective masks play critical role in preventing the disease epidemic and resisting pathogenic bacterial infestation. However, large quantities of masks were disposed during COVID-19 epidemic, which caused environmental problem and huge economic burden. Herein, we developed reusable masks with inherent antimicrobial and self-cleaning features under solar irradiation. With spun-bonded nonwoven fabrics (SNF) layer as substrate, copper sulfide@polydopamine nanoparticles are deposited on SNF layer (CuS@PDA_NPs-SNF), which presents excellent photocatalytic activity. Under solar irradiation, CuS@PDA_NPs produce abundant of singly linear oxygen (¹O₂), which inactivates pathogenic bacteria with high efficiency over 99%. Interestingly, CuS@PDA_NPs-SNF cannot cause high temperature to bring any uncomfortable to the person, which is suitable for human to wear in daily life. Such design effectively protect person from the transmission of viral aerosol. Meanwhile, CuS@PDA_NPs-SNF masks are reusable and still maintain robust bactericidal ability after washing. The sunlight-mediated self-sterilization at low temperature endows CuS@PDA_NPs-SNF masks as powerful personal protective equipment for daily protection, which also provides an instructive way for reducing the environmental impact.