Textile body develops high quality cloth to make 'N-99' masks

Ahmedabad, Apr 20 () The Ahmedabad TextileIndustrys Research Association (ATIRA) in collaboration withthe Defence Research and Development Organisation has produceda high quality cloth to make masks of 99 per cent filterefficiency, the highest among all kind of masks available inthe country.

ATIRA is developing the cloth material for preparationof five lakh 'N-99 masks', which it says would be better inquality than the N-95 masks that have been in huge demand oflate in the fight against coronavirus.

While the N-95 respirator is able to filter 95 percent of the very small airborne particles, the efficiency ofthe N-99 mask to filter such particles will be 99 per cent.

The Ahmedabad-based textile research associationclaims it is the only facility in the country to producefilter cloth for N-99 masks.

"Ninty nine per cent filtration is the highest amongall types of masks available in India. There were manychallenges initially, but with the untiring efforts of ourhighly competent scientists and research technicians, we wereable to successfully develop this cloth and produce it onlarge scale, ATIRA director Pragnesh Shah told .

The N-99 mask has five layers out of which two are ofnano mesh which are inside and three outer layers are ofcloth, he said.

"Currently, the filter cloth is manufactured at astate-of-the-art facility of ATIRA as per the WHO guidelines.The Government of India and the Defence Research andDevelopment Organisation (DRDO) have recognised the efficiencyof these masks, Shah said.

The high quality cloth for over 3.5 lakh masks hasalready been handed over to DRDO, while production of moresuch material is going on, said ATIRA deputy director DeepaliPalawat, who is heading the project.

"This project is the finest example of collaborationand coordination with the government. It was difficult toprocure raw materials during the lockdown. The government hasmoved mountains to help us procure the raw materials andprovided full support during the lockdown," she said.

Palawat said it was difficult to convert the researchcentre into a production unit but a 15-member ATIRA staff,including scientific officers and technicians, are workinground-the-clock to fulfil DRDO's order of five lakh masks.

"The DRDO is getting these masks ready for healthministry officials, doctors of the All India Institute ofMedical Sciences (AIIMS) and top defence cadre, she said.

"We are happy that we are able to help the Indiangovernment and people during such unprecedented times. Ourpartnership with DRDO has yielded something noteworthy for thecountry," ATIRA council member Punit Lalbhai said.

ATIRA is a renowned body set up here in 1947 bytextile mills as an autonomous non-profit R&D institution.

Its activities cover various aspects, from fibre tofinished fabrics in traditional textiles as well as technicaltextiles in the arena of geo-textiles, nano web technologyand composites, as per the association's website. PDGK GK