Israeli scientists develop self-disinfecting face mask

As the demand for protective masks has risen dramatically since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Israeli scientists have developed a self-disinfecting, reusable face mask.

The mask was developed at the Haifa-based Technion — Israel Institute of Technology’s Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering by a team of scientists led by Professor Yair Ein-Eli.

A patent application has been submitted in the United States, the Technion said in a statement. According to the statement, the research team is talking to industrial companies about mass-producing the masks. In some countries, demand has far outstripped the supply of face masks amid the pandemic.

Here’s how the mask works: A layer of carbon fibers can be heated using a USB port with a low current source, such as a phone charger, in a process that destroys viruses that may have accumulated on the mask.

In Israel, wearing a mask in public is mandatory, and those not in compliance can be fined.