California, USA (CU)_ Researchers from Amity University in Haryana teamed up with the University of Nebraska in the United States to create a unique 3D-printed silicon N95 mask which comes with a shelf life of over five years, based on its application. According to the researchers, apart from being reusable, the mask is washable, odorless, non-allergic, anti-microbial, and recyclable.
The Nano Breath mask was created by Dr. Atul Thakur, Dr. Preeti Thakur, Dr. Lucky Krishnia, Prof. PB Sharma, and Dinesh Kumar from India, in collaboration with Prof. Rakesh Srivastava from the United States. This special mask is developed to be used as a prophylactic. The outer layer of the mask’s four-layer filtering system is covered with nanoparticles. The second layer consists of a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate absorption) filter. The third layer is a 100 µm filter, and the fourth layer is an absorbent filter for moisture.
Apart from preventing diseases such as COVID-19, the innovative mask can also be used by employees who are exposed to high levels of dust at work such as cement factories, brick kilns, cotton mills, and paint companies. According to the researchers, one of the special characteristics of the mask is that it can be tailored as per needs by altering the filter configuration. This indicates that it is beneficial in preventing serious lung disorders like silicosis. Additionally, a trademark and a patent have also been filed for the mask.
The mask was created with the help of Zetasizer Nano ZS, a facility financed by the ‘Fund for Improvement of Science and Technology Infrastructure’ (FIST) programme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. For the creation of the mask, researchers utilized a technology that enables high-temperature thermal analysis for ceramic materials and catalytic applications. It is a flexible, high-performance device for determining particle size, zeta potential, molecular weight, particle mobility, and microrheology.
