IIT Mandi develops technology for making reusable face masks using plastic bottles

Researchers at IIT Mandi has developed a technology to develop face maks that can be used for up to 30 times and have been made using waster pet bottles.

The Indian Institute of Technolgy (IIT) Mandi has claimed that it has come out with a way to make high-efficiency masks using waste pet bottles. These masks the institute claims that are more breathable than commercially available masks, it can also be washed and reused up to 30 times.

The researchers at IIT Mandi has said that they have also filed a patent for the waste plastic bottles derived filter membrane technology based on electrospinning. The team has shredded waste plastic bottles and dissolved the pieces using a combination of solvents and extruded nano-fibers from the solution.

While talking about this new development, Sumit Sinha Ray, Assistant Professor, IIT Mandi, said that the team has 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.

"The first concern that comes to mind when we hear that something is made of plastic is whether it is safe to use. These nanofibres meet the safety requirements of the user by excluding the bacteria and infectious components. The breathability in the developed masks is better than the commercially available masks. At the laboratory scale, the material cost for the mask was around Rs 25 per piece. However, during the commercial manufacturing stage, its cost will be nearly halved. The mask can be washed and reused up to 30 times," Ray told a media house. 

"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," he explained.

The team claimed that the masks will not require any separate protocol to be followed for their disposal than the standard hygiene measures.

Ashish Kakoria, a research scholar at the institute and one of the team members, said: "These ultrafine fibers allow less resistance in airflow due to a unique phenomenon called 'slip flow' which improves breathability. Moreover, the thrown away PET bottles can be put to good use using this technique."