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2020-05-26 Science & Technology
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Two new and improved mask possiblities: self-cleaning style submitted for U.S. patent, nano-particle anti-pathogen fabric registered for marketing by FDA
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Creativity: inexpensive replacements for cheap Chinese masks with something much better. Masks may become self-cleaning, with Israeli scientist’s USB-powered hack
IsraelTimes] Yair Ein-Eli says that by making disposable masks reusable, he’ll help solve international shortages, boost hygiene and protect the environment.
An Israeli scientist has invented technology that aims to make face masks clean themselves using power from a phone charger.
Yair Ein-Eli has applied for a US patent for his innovation, which he says will boost hygiene and mitigate mask shortages. A poll just conducted by the Washington Post found that some 66 percent of American health workers surveyed said their workplaces face shortages of the masks that are most suitable for protection from the coronavirus (aka COVID19 or Chinese Plague)
 ...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men...
| He estimated that his cleaning mechanism can be added at around 90 cents (3 shekels) per mask. |
"Our idea could change masks from disposable items into gadgets that people clean, meaning they wouldn’t need replacing so regularly and hospitals wouldn’t need such large supplies," said Ein-Eli, dean of the faculty of materials science and engineering at the Technion — Israel Institute for Technology. He estimated that his cleaning mechanism can be added at around 90 cents (3 shekels) per mask.
The self-cleaning masks will look like regular face coverings, apart from an input for a USB cable. This is to power the heating element inside the mask, which gets it hot enough to kill germs. This is the only modification needed to regular masks to make them self-cleaning, Ein-Eli said.
"We have inserted a heating element of carbon fibers, and connected it to a USB input like one used to charge cellphone," Ein-Eli told The Times of Israel. "The element can heat the mask to 65 to 70 degrees Celsius (149°-158° Fahrenheit), and it heats anything absorbed in the layers of the mask."
He said that a 15- to 30-minute heating cycle would be enough to clean a mask. "If you are in your car and take your mask off, you can simply connect it to your cigarette lighter charger, and then put it back on as if it’s a new mask," said Ein-Eli.
He is hoping to license the technology to companies that will introduce it to their designs, initially for masks of the N95 grade and higher, which are intended for health professionals. "We’re aiming initially at medical staff who need masks and need to know that they are well-cleaned and working and functioning," he said, adding that he then envisages it being marketed to the general public.
Ein-Eli got interested in masks by accident, in March. "I received a shipment via UPS, and asked the delivery man why he’s wearing a mask," he recalled. "Then I asked how long he’s been wearing it for, and he said four days. I could see it had been used lots — it was really dirty, and that’s clearly a problem."
Made-in-Israel anti-pathogen mask ‘Registered for Marketing’ by FDA
[Jpost] Sonovia developed an almost-permanent, ultrasonic, fabric-finishing technology for mechanical impregnation of zinc oxide nanoparticles into textiles.
Sonovia’s Sonomask has been recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration as "Registered for Marketing," the company told The Jerusalem Post.
An Israeli start-up, Sonovia developed an almost-permanent, ultrasonic, fabric-finishing technology for mechanical impregnation of zinc oxide nanoparticles into textiles. The company sped up efforts to manufacture masks using its anti-pathogen fabric at the start of the coronavirus (aka COVID19 or Chinese Plague) crisis in Israel. Now, three months later, it has undergone extensive tests that showed positive results, including its latest filtration results — inhalation and exhalation — which showed a 98% success rate for stopping aerosols that are less than five microns in diameter, the size of the droplets that World Health Organization officials think are transmitting the contagion. Typical respiratory droplets exceed this size.
Other tests showed that it has a 99.8877% viricidal effect, meaning the fabric works to deactivate viruses so that they cannot enter host cells, after an exposure time of 24 hours.
It was these results that helped enable the company to receive its FDA status.
The company launched commercial sales earlier this month.
Dr. Jason Migdal, a research scientist with Sonovia said that, "now armed with FDA approval, it’s our objective to completely replace the wasteful and non-viricidal disposables and proceed to compare efficiency overall against largely impractical medical respirator" masks. 
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Posted by trailing wife 2020-05-26 00:00||
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Posted by g(r)omgoru 2020-05-26 00:45||
2020-05-26 00:45||
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Posted by M. Murcek 2020-05-26 06:02||
2020-05-26 06:02||
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Posted by g(r)omgoru 2020-05-26 11:02||
2020-05-26 11:02||
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