Episode 19: Mask Materials Testing

COVID-19 has amped up the need for safe, effective masks. Manufacturers and health systems are getting creative, thinking of new ways to make or reuse face coverings. These new materials and materials that undergo tough sanitation methods require rigorous testing to ensure they can protect frontline health care workers. The SwRI particle emissions laboratory is well equipped for this challenge. Once used exclusively for engine emissions testing, the lab is now expanding its capabilities to test mask materials. On this episode, we talk to the SwRI engineer leading the lab through this crucial effort. He tells us why his team is doing this work as a community service, at no charge. Plus, he shares what makes a mask effective. Listen now as we share the science behind mask safety.