De jure: KN95 is regulated by China. N95 the US. On paper, all the technical specs are basically the same.
De facto: KN95s are nearly all earloop + folded mask body. N95 is all headband because the CDC thinks earloops are unlikely to fit properly (and therefore filter properly), and has a variety of cup and folded mask bodies.
Also critical to know—but invisible—the N95 standard is much more rigorous on ongoing quality control. With KN95, you can theoretically do things like get your buddy to give you a passing test report, swap out materials, skimp on your production process, and probably get away with it. Much harder to do with N95. Therefore, most people trust N95 more because it’s a more comprehensively maintained regulation. The quality distribution of KN95 is therefore much wider than N95 - so there are some great KN95s out there. There’s also some garbage product.
Lastly, neither standard regulates the finer points of mask design, like making sure the inside liner is soft and comfortable against your face. That’s not one of the technical criteria, but is certainly something you’ll care about in hour 3 of wearing your mask on a plane!
In practice the big difference is that KN95 masks generally have ear loops, while N95 masks have straps that go around the back of your head which makes them fit tighter and seal better against your face. Traditional N95 masks (but not the duckbill type discussed here) also have more structure and are less flexible, which might help with fit depending on your face shape.
To support/add-to what ErickBall wrote, my own personal experience with respirators is that one with headbands (rather than ear loops) and a nose clip + nose foam is more likely to seal well.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed KN95 masks (the Chinese version of the N95) as suitable alternatives to N95s when N95s are not available.
Figure 1 indicates that a KN95 mask has similar filtration efficiency as a N95 when new. However, it acts differently (larger variation) after H2O2 sterilization and becomes very inefficient after ClO2 sterilization.
So N95 isn’t as negatively effected after these types of sterilizations? Any comments on whether N95 is more practical/appropriate for everyday people?
I never quite got these questions answered and I guess this would be a good place to ask: what is the difference between KN95 and N95?
My understanding is it’s about the shape/fit of the mask rather than the filter. If so, is N95 better fitting? Always/usually, or does it depend?
De jure: KN95 is regulated by China. N95 the US. On paper, all the technical specs are basically the same.
De facto: KN95s are nearly all earloop + folded mask body. N95 is all headband because the CDC thinks earloops are unlikely to fit properly (and therefore filter properly), and has a variety of cup and folded mask bodies.
Also critical to know—but invisible—the N95 standard is much more rigorous on ongoing quality control. With KN95, you can theoretically do things like get your buddy to give you a passing test report, swap out materials, skimp on your production process, and probably get away with it. Much harder to do with N95. Therefore, most people trust N95 more because it’s a more comprehensively maintained regulation. The quality distribution of KN95 is therefore much wider than N95 - so there are some great KN95s out there. There’s also some garbage product.
Lastly, neither standard regulates the finer points of mask design, like making sure the inside liner is soft and comfortable against your face. That’s not one of the technical criteria, but is certainly something you’ll care about in hour 3 of wearing your mask on a plane!
More info here—https://aiden.health/blogs/resources/kn95-n95
That’s great to know, thanks!
In practice the big difference is that KN95 masks generally have ear loops, while N95 masks have straps that go around the back of your head which makes them fit tighter and seal better against your face. Traditional N95 masks (but not the duckbill type discussed here) also have more structure and are less flexible, which might help with fit depending on your face shape.
That’s what I suspected but it’s great to get it reinforced. Thanks!
To support/add-to what ErickBall wrote, my own personal experience with respirators is that one with headbands (rather than ear loops) and a nose clip + nose foam is more likely to seal well.
Effects of Sterilization With Hydrogen Peroxide and Chlorine Dioxide on the Filtration Efficiency of N95, KN95, and Surgical Face Masks (JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Jun; 3(6): e2012099.) says:
Figure 1 indicates that a KN95 mask has similar filtration efficiency as a N95 when new. However, it acts differently (larger variation) after H2O2 sterilization and becomes very inefficient after ClO2 sterilization.
So N95 isn’t as negatively effected after these types of sterilizations? Any comments on whether N95 is more practical/appropriate for everyday people?