SBPP mask brace - Portacount results

Context: testing of this sewing-machine-made brace that fits over a surgical mask previously described here.

Science: 

• Study Strategies to minimize SARS-CoV-2 transmission in classroom settings: Combined impacts of ventilation and mask effective filtration efficiency (University of Wisconsin-Madison, December 2020)
• Maker item Badger Seal (Mask Fitter, Mask Sealer, Mask Brace) (University of Wisconsin engineering faculty)
• Commercial Product (USA) Fix The Mask (TM)
• CDC recommendation CDC recommends fitters like Badger Seal, giving it boost (March , 2021)

Tests of a Zhende brand surgical mask that's been pressure cooked 6 times 

Pressure cooking from another experiment to see how well PFE was retained after a quick placement in an instapot.

On its own without the brace:

(All tests here after a small candle was lit to raise particle counts for an otherwise ambient-air test)

Run 1: 93.5079%, ave so far: 93.5079%
Run 2: 94.0816%, ave so far: 93.8303%
Run 3: 93.9669%, ave so far: 93.8791%
Run 4: 94.2149%, ave so far: 93.9674%
Run 5: 94.5200%, ave so far: 94.0855%
Run 6: 94.9796%, ave so far: 94.2403%
Run 7: 95.2128%, ave so far: 94.4019%
Run 8: 94.7410%, ave so far: 94.4456%
Overall Average: 94.4456%
High: 95.2128%
Low: 93.5079%

With the Brace:

On a 8/10 adult size polystyrene head

Run 1: 94.8000%, ave so far: 94.8000%
Run 2: 94.9383%, ave so far: 94.8682%
Run 3: 95.4032%, ave so far: 95.0472%
Run 4: 95.1626%, ave so far: 95.0760%
Run 5: 94.5679%, ave so far: 94.9756%
Run 6: 94.9793%, ave so far: 94.9762%
Run 7: 94.8361%, ave so far: 94.9563%
Run 8: 94.0909%, ave so far: 94.8493%
Overall Average: 94.8493%
High: 95.4032%
Low: 94.0909%

That's 0.4% better with the brace.

A TSL Healthcare brand surgical mask, unused

Product: https://tslhealthcare.com/our-products/ppe/face-masks-and-coverings/

On its own without the brace:

Run 1: 94.3662%, ave so far: 94.3662%
Run 2: 95.5952%, ave so far: 94.9764%
Run 3: 94.6919%, ave so far: 94.8817%
Run 4: 94.6860%, ave so far: 94.8335%
Run 5: 94.5545%, ave so far: 94.7795%
Run 6: 94.3137%, ave so far: 94.7033%
Run 7: 94.1089%, ave so far: 94.6204%
Run 8: 93.6000%, ave so far: 94.4967%
Overall Average: 94.4967%
High: 95.5952%
Low: 93.6000%

With the Brace:

Run 1: 98.9490%, ave so far: 98.9490%
Run 2: 99.0312%, ave so far: 98.9897%
Run 3: 99.0526%, ave so far: 99.0104%
Run 4: 99.0573%, ave so far: 99.0221%
Run 5: 98.9301%, ave so far: 99.0042%
Run 6: 98.7433%, ave so far: 98.9615%
Run 7: 98.7956%, ave so far: 98.9388%
Run 8: 99.0787%, ave so far: 98.9554%
Overall Average: 98.9554%
High: 99.0787%
Low: 98.7433%

That's 4.5% better with the brace.

Time to retire that Zhende mask and thank it for its extended tour of duty

The newer mask with the elastic head band made from one layer of 150 GSM SBPP (July 30th)

weird shadows, but that's just the item positioned on paper and snapped from above

Run 1: 99.0965%, ave so far: 99.0965%
Run 2: 99.3096%, ave so far: 99.2100%
Run 3: 98.8709%, ave so far: 99.0678%
Run 4: 99.2879%, ave so far: 99.1383%
Run 5: 99.0815%, ave so far: 99.1248%
Run 6: 98.9845%, ave so far: 99.0978%
Run 7: 98.5149%, ave so far: 99.0106%
Run 8: 98.8098%, ave so far: 98.9760%
Overall Average: 98.9760%
High: 99.3096%
Low: 98.5149%