Anisotropic fabric for thermal face mask

Face masks currently on the market, especially those used for exercising in cold weather, have many limitations. Lack of ventilation in the face mask causes moisture accumulation inside, build-up of bad odor, and fogging up of goggles and sunglasses.

An inventor at Washington State University’s Department of Physics invented an anisotropic face mask for use in cold and windy environments, which allows air flow in one direction but not the other. This provides protection from extreme weather conditions and allows for moisture to effectively escape to the outside.

Using one-way valve structures (as shown to the right) exhalation provides the necessary force to open the valves and allow the air and moisture to effectively exit the face mask directly around the nose and mouth. Because the exhaled air and moisture do not build up between the face mask and skin, this design will allow the face mask to be much more comfortable for longer periods of time. Furthermore, the presence of the valve structures allows the face mask to easily cover the entire nose and mouth, and thus keep the wearer warm without feeling suffocated or claustrophobic. One major benefit of this mask is that by allowing moisture to exit as the user exhales, it decrease the fogging and frosting of glasses or googles which result from moisture and air flowing upwards towards the cold lenses.

Advantages

Allows exhaled air and moisture to effectively exit the face mask

Exhaled air will not be forced up and thus will not cause glasses and goggles to fog up and frost

Because of effective ventilation, air and moisture will not build up and will not cause odor accumulation