With the recurrence and uncertainty of global epidemic, masks play an indispensable role in daily life. When wearing a mask in hot summer, the internal temperature and humidity will continue to rise, resulting in discomfort such as suffocation, hypoxia and dizziness. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a cooling mask, improve the comfort of the general public and medical workers in hot environment. Especially "the Belt and Road" countries that most of them are hot, such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

In view of this situation, the ionic liquid research team of IPE, CAS has developed a new cooling mask. Based on the phase change heat storage principle, the developed phase change microcapsule with high heat absorption performance is fixed on the non-woven fabric to obtain a cooling non-woven fabric, and replaces the inner non-woven fabric of the ordinary protective mask to obtain a cooling mask with excellent heat absorption and cooling effect. Compared with the ordinary medical protective mask, the cooling mask can quickly absorb the heat inside the mask and reduce the internal temperature of the mask by 3-5 ℃. At the same time, the cooling mask also has good air permeability and protective effect. It can effectively filter substances such as virus, bacteria, oily and salt particles, and solve the suffocation, hypoxia and dizziness of ordinary masks during wearing in hot environment.

In the early research, researchers solved the problems in the continuous large-scale production of phase change microcapsules and cooling non-woven fabrics, formed key technologies such as the preparation of phase change microcapsules with high enthalpy, the continuous and stable production of cooling non-woven fabrics and cooling masks, and improved the fabricating technology of cooling masks. By simulating and analyzing the exhaled air flow of human body, starting from the goal of improving heat transfer efficiency, the distribution pattern of phase change microcapsules on non-woven fabric is designed, the Turing liked pattern is obtained, and the heat absorption and cooling performance of cooling mask is strengthened. The developed cooling mask has been tested for air permeability, protection and biocompatibility, and its performance has reached or exceeded the national industry standard. This product has applied for a national invention patent (202121081288.1).

At present, it cooperates with Jiangxi Zhongyang group Sukang Medical Instrument Co., Ltd. in the production of cooling mask, and has realized the continuous and stable production of cooling non-woven fabrics and cooling mask. In addition, we have presented cooling mask to countries in hot areas such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which have been widely praised. 

Figure 1. Production of Cooling Non-Woven Fabrics

Figure 2. Cooingl Mask Production

Figure 3. Effect of the Cooling Mask