Disposable & reusable masks against COVID-19
Textiles Fighting Hospital Associated Infection
Medical Devices
A multidisciplinary team led by Prof. Xiaoming Tao, Chair Professor of ITC, has made the novel discovery of the application of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) oligomer as an outstanding wide-spectrum anti-pathogenic agent against viruses, fungi, disease causing agents like mice, bacteria and drug-resistant bacteria. The PHB oligomer synthesized in the ITC laboratory demonstrates excellent efficacy against influenza viruses H1N1 and H3N2. Its inactivation rate exceeds 99.99% or in other words, the inactivation index is 4.24 and 4.40 for H1N1 and H3N2, respectively.
An anti-pathogenic agent is found in a fiber-forming biopolymer, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), that is produced through the fermentation of starch or sugar. Thus the use of PHBV/ poly(lactic acid) (PLA) fibers in a range of textile manufacturing processes including fiber spinning, filament yarn texturing, yarn spinning, weaving, knitting, coloring and nonwoven processing, has been extensively studied by the team. As a result, high-quality fibers have been commercially produced and used to fabricate a wide range of commercial anti-pathogenic products, including face-masks, undergarments, gowns, socks as well as beddings by a number of industrial companies in Hong Kong and Mainland China. The resultant textiles maintain their anti-pathogenic properties after 50 machine wash cycles.
Compared to most anti-pathogenic agents and anti-bacteria textiles currently found in the market, the new agent and textiles not only are highly effective, but also have other outstanding properties, such as non-toxicity and anti-allergic properties. Yet another advantage is their environmental friendliness. Unlike other types of organic or inorganic agents, they are fully degradable into carbon dioxide and water, without any harmful residual matter left for the landfill. PolyU, ITF/HKRITA, eight industrial companies and two NGOs have supported five consecutive research projects during the last 6 years. In the ongoing projects, the anti-pathogenic agent and textile products are being investigated for the prevention and reduction of viral and microbial infections in nursing homes, hospitals as well as other public venues.
Ma LL, Zhang ZH, Li J, Yang XX, Fei B, Leung P, Tao XM*, 2019. A new antimicrobial agent: poly (3-hydroxybutyric acid) oligomer, Macromolecular Bioscience, 19(5), 1970014.
Zhang ZH, Li J, Ma LL, Liu SR, Leung P, Tao XM*, Green wide-spectrum anti-pathogenic agents and its personal protective devices, Infectious Diseases Virtual 2020, June 14, 2020. (Invited paper)
