IIT, Guwahati created a Coating to modify cloth masks

Guwahati: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, have created a ‘Nanometer Thick Superhydrophobic Coating’ material that can be used to improve the comfort of standard cotton or silk masks while also providing superior protection against aerosol-driven diseases like COVID-19.

 

N95 masks or double masking, according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, protect humans from Coronavirus to a large extent. However, wearing them for an extended period of time might cause asphyxia. N95 is very expensive, making it unaffordable for a huge portion of the populace. Instead, they use cloth and silk masks, which are less expensive and more commonly available.

 

To address these issues and provide a safer, more cost-effective, and more comfortable alternative, IIT Guwahati researchers developed a coating material that transforms a commonly available cloth mask into a hydrophobic mask that repels virus-laden droplets and prevents breathing difficulties even when worn for longer periods of time.

 

Prof. Arun Chattopadhyay of IIT Guwahati’s Department of Chemistry and Centre for Nanotechnology, and Dr. Partho S. G. Pattader of IIT Guwahati’s Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Health Science and Technology, and Centre for Nanotechnology, led the study. This research was just published in the ACS Applied Bio Materials journal (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsabm.1c00851).

 

Prof. Arun Chattopadhyay, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Nanotechnology, IIT Guwahati, highlighted the research’s unique features, saying, “A cotton mask is largely permeable to aerosol and so cannot successfully prevent COVID-19 type infection.” Although they are still preferable than wearing no mask at all, an upgraded version was required to prevent the aerosol from entering or exiting the modified cotton mask. We developed it based on the premise of the modified cloth repelling the aerosol while enabling air to pass through the mask.

 

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