Although the spread of the coronavirus does not seem to be slowing down despite the measures taken by various governments, science is continuing its research on the virus. While some are focusing on vaccines, others continue to look for new protective solutions. For example, the Free University of Berlin and the RWTH Aachen Institute of Textile Technology have created a revolutionary new maskthat uses ‘self-disinfecting’ technology. This mask, which can be described as a ‘virus killer,’ is now available for purchase.
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How is this mask made?
Called Pro Mask, it is manufactured by the Swiss company Livinguard. It can destroy 99.9% of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and almost 95% of other viruses and bacteria. It is composed of three layers. The middle one is a polypropylene filter surrounded by two others made of cotton.
Xavier Pailloux, Livinguard's sales director, explained:
This construction allows us to have an extremely high filtration rate and completely comfortable breathability.
The mask has just obtained European Class 1 medical device certification.
How is it used?
The Pro Mask should make life much easier for those who wear it. It can be worn all day long, unlike surgical masks which have to be changed every four hours. It can be washed in fresh water once a week and can be used almost 210 times over a period of six months. Another big difference is that fabric masks cannot be effective after more than 10 to 15 washes.
It can be touched without risk
This ‘self-disinfecting’ technology also allows you to touch the mask with your hands without contaminating it, as explained by Xavier Pailloux:
The fabrics on the inner and outer sides are treated with a polymer coating attached to the fabric which concentrates a high density of positive charge. It should be noted that the cell walls of coronaviruses and bacteria are for the most part negatively charged. When they meet the surface of the fabric, there is a pressure difference which causes the charge to explode and the cell wall to be destroyed, like a magnet effect. Then the virus or bacteria are deactivated and can no longer be transported.
The Pro Mask is already available for purchase online, and it should soon be available in pharmacies and supermarkets. It costs £24.99. A children's version already exists and a sports version should soon be available as well.
