LAUSR

ABSTRACT A simple unipolar positive corona charger was constructed and tested with five different medical face mask materials. Charging of particles significantly increased the filtration efficiency of each of the tested face mask against submicron particles. On the average, the increase in the efficiency was from 58% to 93% for 0.3 µm size particles. This improvement was achieved with practically insignificant increase in the pressure drop showing that there are possibilities to fully exploit the potential of electret materials. However, the corona discharge generates ozone which is an issue that needs to be taken into consideration. The results are important when developing efficient protective solutions against airborne threats.