NITK start-up produces reusable face shields coated with silver nanoparticles

Mangaluru: Apahatech Solutions LLP, a start-up incubated at NITK Science and Technology Entrepreneur’s Park (STEP), has begun manufacturing of reusable transparent face shields coated with silver nanoparticles for extra safety. It maybe recalled that NITK had earlier in April this year developed low-cost reusable face shields.

Arun M Isloor, professor at the Department of Chemistry of NITK and partner of this startup company informed that this is the first such reported commercial product where silver nanoparticles are coated on the bands of the face shield to give it an antimicrobial property.

This modified faceshield has a strip of spongy layer to give cushioning effect. The coating of silver nanoparticles will help keep the face shield sterile as micro-organisms could possibly grow due to sweat and other factors because of the spongy layer. These shields can be reused by wiping both surfaces with soap solution uing a cotton swab.

A portion of the proceeds through sale of these masks will be NITK as royalty and another part of the fund would be donated to the Indian Army Fund. The intention to commercialise this product is not to fulfill the demands of the public at an affordable price, he said.

These faceshields are made of transparent polyester sheets of 100-micron, which covers about 180 degrees of frontal portion of the head, covering mouth, eyes and nose, thereby giving protection against splashes, or saliva from any infected person.. The band is made of styrofoam, which is more comfortable than elastic.

The Startup has already received orders from Kerala, Ballari, Bengaluru, and other places.