The team at the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi has developed a technology for making high efficiency masks using waste pet bottles.
These masks are more breathable than commercially available masks. They can alsobe washed and reused up to 30 times.
The researchers have also filed a patent for the waste plastic bottles derived filter membrane technology based on electrospinning.
They shredded waste plastic bottles and dissolved the pieces using a combination of solvents and extruded nanofibres from the solution.
The team used waste plastic bottles to develop a single thin layer of nano-nonwoven membrane that provides desirable particle filtration efficiency, at par with N95 respirator and a medical mask.
“Nanofibres can do wonders for masks. Air-borne particulate and pollutant removal efficiency and breathability are the two main criteria for efficient masks. Commercially available melt blown fabric-based masks can be efficient at a cost of high breathing resistance, whereas generic three-ply surgical masks are breathable but have meagre efficiency. Nanofibres based masks can filter out small particles effectively despite being comfortably breathable,” Sumit Sinha Ray, Assistant Professor, IIT Mandi explained.
The team claimed that the masks will not require any separate protocol to be followed for their disposal than the standard hygiene measures.
