A Pune-based startup has developed a three dimensional face mask, coated with anti-viral agents that attack the Covid-19 virus when it comes in contact with them, an official said on Monday. Developed by Thincr Technologies India Pvt Ltd, the virucidal mask project was among the earliest projects selected for commercialisation by the Technology Development Board of the Department of Science & Technology, as part of the government’s fight against the virus.
The founder-director of Thincr Technologies, Shitalkumar Zambad, claimed that these cost-effective masks coated with virucides are more effective than N-95, 3-Ply or cloth masks currently available in the market. The firm has developed this special kind of cost-effective 3D-printed mask that is coated with anti-viral agent which attacks the coronavirus when viral particles come in contact with it. The coating has been tested and shown to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 virus. These virucidal masks are found to have bacterial filtration efficiency higher than 95 per cent, and for the first time, the company has used 3D printers to make multilayer cloth filters for plastic-moulded or 3D-printed mask covers. This coated layer can be incorporated as an additional layer in N-95 masks, 3-ply masks, simple cloth masks, 3D printed or other plastic cover masks, along with reusable filters. The filters of these reusable masks have also been developed using 3D printing. Through an NGO, it has distributed 6,000 virucidal masks to four government hospitals and for use by healthcare workers.
