A team of Indian scientists have developed a self-disinfecting antiviral mask to fight the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, Indian news media Hindustan Times reported on Friday.
Researchers at International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), developed the face mask in collaboration with a Bengaluru based company, Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) and Resil Chemicals, under Nano-Mission project sponsored by the department of science and technology.
The country’s ministry of science and technology said that the mask is coated with copper-based nanoparticles and exhibits high performance against coronavirus.
The antiviral mask works well against several other viral and bacterial infections as well, added the ministry.
The mask is biodegradable, highly breathable and washable.
The ministry said that expensive masks in the Indian market “neither exhibit antiviral nor antibacterial properties.”
“Prototype masks having different designs such as single layer and triple layers with nanoparticle coated fabric as outer layer have been demonstrated. A single layer mask is especially useful as a protective antiviral outer mask over a regular mask,” the ministry said about the mask developed by ARCI, Hindustan Times reported.
“Simple multi-layer cloth masks present a pragmatic solution for use by the public in reducing Covid-19 transmission in the community and wearing these self-disinfecting cloth masks is definitely one of them,” it added.
