# Comfortable Face Mask for Long-Term Wear

> **NIH ALLCDC R21** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2024 · $209,426

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Although air-purifying respirators (APRs) protect against the spread of harmful particulate matter from nat-
ural disasters like wildfires or pandemics like COVID-19, industry-standard APRs can cause contact dermatitis,
discomfort, and bruising after prolonged wear; obstruction of visual communication, significant environmental
waste, and, in many types of commonly used masks, provide insufficient or unknown filtration. When the appro-
priate fit of an N95 filtering facepiece respirator (N95 FFR) is pursued, long-term wear can cause painful bruising
of the skin, making them unsuitable for long-term occupational use. This NIH R21 project proposes the develop-
ment of a new type of personal respiratory protection device called the Smart, Individualized, Near-face, Ex-
tended Wear (SINEW) Mask. The proposed design uses electrostatic filters to overcome many of the barriers of
traditional masks while providing a high degree of protection. Using an N95 FFR significantly increases breathing
resistance which is problematic for workers performing physically demanding tasks. To avoid increasing breath-
ing resistance, the innovative design removes particles from airflow, while the mask does not come in contact
with the skin of the wearer’s face. Instead, it uses a comfortable headband to keep the mask in place. The filtering
action takes place along the entire perimeter of the mask, 3 to 10 mm from the face surface. Particles and
droplets present in the air are removed with electrostatic forces. While this principle is common for industrial
electrostatic precipitators (ESP) and is in HVAC equipment, a wearable filter for the face using electrostatic
precipitation is a novel approach, enabled only by recent miniaturization of power electronics and advances in
material science, specifically in catalytic coatings. Resistance to airflow is negligible because of the fundamental
feature of the design – the gap between the mask and the face lets air through freely while removing the harmful
particles in both the inhalation and the exhalation cycles. This feature is very important for exercise and for
comfortable breathing by workers with health conditions (e.g., asthma) that would prevent them from using a
traditional FFR. Other advantages of the design include a clear face shield, which allows people to read the lips
and facial expressions of the wearer. The SINEW Mask is sterilizable and reusable, so it does not contribute to
the escalating global waste problem of disposable masks. The recent COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that
uncomfortable masks lead to reduced usage. SINEW Masks can improve the long-term health of firefighters,
healthcare workers, and any worker who needs comfortable, sterilizable, reusable protection against harmful
particulate matter.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10925134
- **Project number:** 5R21OH012599-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** ALEXANDER V MAMISHEV
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $209,426
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10925134

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10925134, Comfortable Face Mask for Long-Term Wear (5R21OH012599-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10925134. Licensed CC0.

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