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

Ahmedabad Textile Industrys Research Association (ATIRA) in collaboration with Defence Research and Development Organisation has produced a high-quality cloth to make masks of 99 per cent filter efficiency, highest among all kind of masks available in country.

ATIRA is developing cloth material for preparation of five lakh 'N-99 masks', which it says would be better in quality than N-95 masks that have been in huge demand of late in fight against coronavirus. While N-95 respirator is able to filter 95 per cent of very small airborne particles, efficiency of N-99 mask to filter such particles will be 99 per cent. Ahmedabad-based textile research association claims it is only facility in country to produce filter cloth for N-99 masks.

"Ninty nine per cent filtration is highest among all types of masks available in India. re were many challenges initially, but with untiring efforts of our highly competent scientists and research technicians, we were able to successfully develop this cloth and produce it on large scale, ATIRA director Pragnesh Shah told PTI.

N-99 mask has five layers out of which two are of namesh which are inside and three outer layers are of cloth, he said.

"Currently, filter cloth is manufactured at a state-of--art facility of ATIRA as per WHO guidelines. Government of India and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have recognised efficiency of se masks, Shah said.

high-quality cloth for over 3.5 lakh masks has already been handed over to DRDO, while production of more such material is going on, said ATIRA deputy director Deepali Palawat, who is heading project.

"This project is finest example of collaboration and coordination with government. It was difficult to procure raw materials during lockdown. government has moved mountains to help us procure raw materials and provided full support during lockdown," she said.

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

" DRDO is getting se masks ready for health ministry officials, doctors of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and top defence cadre, she said.

"We are happy that we are able to help Indian government and people during such unprecedented times. Our partnership with DRDO has yielded something teworthy for country," ATIRA council member Punit Lalbhai said.

ATIRA is a rewned body set up here in 1947 by textile mills as an automous n-profit R&D institution. Its activities cover various aspects, from fibre to finished fabrics in traditional textiles as well as technical textiles in arena of geo-textiles, naweb techlogy and composites, as per association's website.