Gujarat’s Atira made the first N99 mask cloth in India

– Umang Barot
Ahmedabad, 16 April 2020
ATIRA-Textile Research Institute, located at IIM in Ahmedabad, is the only Indian institution to manufacture a N99 mask filter material.
The polyamide-6 type is used in the production of nylon filters. The granules for this were urgently needed to be brought from Germany. The 4 ton granules were transported to India by passenger plane in collaboration with the Aviation Ministry and the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India. A German private company provided free raw material to Atira in this humanitarian work.
Atira’s Nanotechnology department employs about 15 people, including Scientific Officer, Researcher, Production Unit.
The filtration capacity of the N95 mask is 95%. All particles (particulate matter) larger than 0.3 micron can filter the N95 mask with a capacity of 95%. While the filtration capacity of the N99 mask is about 100%.
Attira has given the DRDO as much cloth as 3.85 lakh N99 masks. The total order is 5 lakh masks. The latest Nano Electro Spinning Machine has been purchased in the Nano section of Atira with the financial support of the State Government’s Industry Commissioner’s Office.