Facemask seal

A method for making a sealing element of a facemask, comprising:

• drawing a first thermopolymer sheet into a molding apparatus with heat and vacuum to form a cavity;
• placing a fluid or gel within the cavity;
• after placing the fluid or gel, overlaying a second thermopolymer sheet on the cavity;
• and
• heat-bonding edges of the first thermopolymer sheet to the second thermopolymer sheet to create a formed flexible material that is substantially triangular in cross-section, the formed flexible material containing the fluid or gel within an entirety of the substantially triangular cross-section, the formed flexible material having three primary faces comprising:
• a facemask attachment face;
• a skin contact face;
• and
• a third face, wherein the skin contact face is substantially planar and the third face is substantially planar, wherein the
• facemask attachment face is configured to contact an attachment surface of the facemask,
• wherein the skin contact face is a longest of the three primary faces when the sealing element is viewed in cross-section,
• wherein the third face extends from a plane defined by the attachment surface,
• wherein, when the sealing element is viewed in cross section, the third face has a length that is less than 90% of a length of the skin contact face,
• wherein an entirety of the third face is configured to form a portion of an interior of a facemask chamber when the facemask is worn by a user, and
• wherein the third face is configured to be part of an airway passage of the facemask when the facemask is worn by the user.