Disposable mask to improve cement

Disposable mask to improve cement

Subject: Environment

Section: Pollution

Context: In a paper published in the journal, Materials Letters, a Washington State University research team showed that the mixture using mask materials was 47% stronger than commonly used cement after a month of curing.

Concept:

Production of cement is a carbon-intensive process, responsible for as much as 8% of carbon emissions worldwide. Microfibers are already sometimes added to cement concrete to strengthen it, but they’re expensive. The microfiber-reinforced concrete can potentially reduce the amount of cement needed for a project or make the concrete last longer, saving carbon emissions as well as money for builders and owners.

Made of a polypropylene or polyester fabric where it contacts the skin and an ultra-fine polypropylene fiber for the filtering layers, medical masks have fibers that can be useful for the concrete industry. If they are not reused, disposable masks can remain in the environment for decades and pose a risk for the ecosystem.