Ascend: Polyamide material embedded with zinc ions to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission

A major challenge in neutralizing COVID-19 and other airborne viruses involves absorption and inactivation, said Dr.
Vikram Gopal, CTO of Ascend Performance Materials
.
"Respiratory viral diseases, such as COVID-19 and the flu, are spread through droplets and aerosols," Gopal said
.
Polypropylene, a commonly used material for disposable face masks, is a hydrophobic plastic that does not absorb moisture
.
Instead, viruses can Staying on the surface of the mask poses a transmission risk when handling the mask
.
" Gopal added that while cotton masks are effective at absorbing moisture, they do not inactivate the virus and also pose a transmission risk
.
However, a nylon fabric embedded with zinc ions has been shown to inactivate 99% of the viruses that cause COVID-19 and the common flu
.

An international team of scientists and engineers from the University of Cambridge, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, ResInnova Laboratories and Ascend Performance Materials has demonstrated that a fabric made of nylon 66 embedded with reactive zinc ions absorbs droplets of the virus and effectively inactivate these particles
.
The fabric reduced viral particles by 2-log, or 99%, in one hour
.

The team was also able to demonstrate that nylon with active zinc ions remained stable over time, maintaining its virus-inactivating properties after 50 washes
.

Gopal, who co-authored the paper, said: "This study shows various aspects of zinc-containing nylon textile fabrics superior to widely used cotton and polypropylene materials in absorbing and inactivating viruses
.
" He also added that these findings have implications for individuals The future development of protective equipment is of great significance
.
"Pathogen-free PPE goes beyond reducing the risk of spreading the virus
.
By making PPE washable and reusable, you can reduce the need for single-use products and keep hundreds of millions of masks out of landfills
.
" he added
.

Developed by Ascend Performance Materials, Acteev technology embeds active zinc ions into a polymer matrix
.
Ascend added that Acteev Protect fabrics, filter media and engineered plastics provide breakthrough protection for masks, apparel, upholstery, air filters, high-touch surfaces and more
.