Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
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New self-sterilising technology launches
Osmotex Steriliser Technology is said to be able to make textiles and personal items virus and bacteria free and the manufacturer has now launched the first series of masks for early adopters at the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo.
With the Covid-19 outbreak and other virus infections, the market for sterilising facemasks and personal items is increasing and Osmotex considers its solution a real breakthrough.
"With the pandemic, we saw new opportunities for our proprietary osmosis technology," says Joacim Holter, company chairman. "To help make surfaces virus and bacteria free, we developed Osmotex Steriliser Technology which we are working to rapidly bring to the market.
"In addition to the very high sterilising effect, the most important benefit of the technology is the fact that the effective sterilising happens within a few minutes."
Osmotex Steriliser Technology is based on Osmotex's core commercialised technology: electronically controlled moisture migration in fabrics via an electro-osmotic and electro-chemical process. By applying an electric pulse, the technology effectively sterilises the textile and any objects in direct contact within minutes. The technology is already proven to have a strong sterilising effect.
"Over the past months, we have worked hard with intensive testing to further develop the technology," adds Joacim. "Internal tests have continuously shown instances of disinfecting agents able to exterminate virus and bacteria, and independent studies from the Zürich University for Applied sciences (ZHAW) confirm a 99,999% efficacy on virus and 100% efficacy on bacteria."
The technology stimulates a controlled interaction of moisture and electric pulses which form the highly disinfecting compounds Ozone (O3) and Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2). The compounds are broadly used for sterilisation in different industries and medical treatment and cause an active anti-viral and anti-bacterial effect inside and on the surface of a textile.
The first products to incorporate the technology are reusable facemasks and Osmotex plans to launch textile bags for the sterilisation of personal items. The applications will be reusable and driven solely with moisture and an electric pulse. There are no chemicals added and the technology is environmentally friendly. The facemask will consist of Osmotex Steriliser textile with a N95 filter added for extra safety, electronic connectors and a control-box with rechargeable battery.
Being based on electrochemical reactions also opens up the development for new functionalities and applications. As a result, Osmotex will explore how the technology can be applied in other industries in the future, including other touch-surfaces such as seats and interiors in public transport systems and sheets and mattresses in hospitals and hotels in the long term.
10th December 2020