Guwahati 29 Nov : .Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati have created a ‘Nanometer Thick Superhydrophobic Coating Material’ to modify ordinary cloth and silk masks.
This will keep them comfortable while providing better protection against aerosol-driven diseases such as Covid-19. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), N-95 masks and double masking are effective in protecting people from Coronavirus.However, people can become suffocated if they are worn for too long.
N-95 masks can be expensive and therefore unaffordable for a large portion of the population.People resort to cheaper, more readily available cloth and silk masks.
Researchers at IIT Guwahati developed a coating material that transforms the readily available cloth mask into a hydrophobic one.This mask repels virus-laden droplets and prevents breathing problems even when worn for longer periods.
These masks also have the advantage of being versatile and can be combined with antibacterial nanomaterial to provide additional protection against viruses.
“A cloth mask is porous to aerosol and cannot effectively prevent Covid-19-type infections.They are better than not wearing one, but an improved version that would block the aerosol from entering the modified cloth mask was required.
“We have been working on that based upon the principle of repelling the aerosol by the modified fabric while allowing the air flow through the mask.A simple coating of the hydrophobic molecular on the silk cloth worked well,” Arun Chattopadhyay, from the Department of Chemistry and Centre for Nanotechnology at IIT-G stated in a statement.
These findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal ACS Applied Bio Materials.
Gas Chromatography was used to measure oxygen permeation through the mask.This test confirmed the mask’s breathability.The penetration of oxygen is reduced by only 22 percent for the modified Eri Silk mask, while it is approximately 59 percent for N-95.
The modified silk mask is therefore much more breathable than N-95, and offers almost the same protection against aerosol-driven infection.
The durable and sustainable Eri silk, also known as the fabric of Peace, is softer than most silks and cottons and has the unique ability to maintain coolness in summer while providing warmth in winter.
“To achieve hydrophobicity, Eri silk fabric was coated in a biocompatible nanometre thick coating of a chemical called OTCYL trichlorosilane.OTS is a non-hazardous chemical that bonds with the fabric and is fluorine-free.Partho S.G.Pattader, from the Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Health Science Technology and Centre for Nanotechnology, IIT Guwahati, said that the cloth/silk faces are still comfortable breathable after the nan coating.
Any droplet that hits the modified Eri Silk mask bounces back into air, rather than passing through the fabric or getting soaked.
These modified Eri silk masks can also be reused after being washed with household detergent and dried, according to the research team.
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