Turkish Company Developed a Machine that Produces Nanofiber Structured Mask

Assoc. Dr. Ali Kılıç, General Manager of Areka Filtration, a company among the Istanbul Technical University ARI Teknokent firms, and Coordinator of Medikal Textiles R&D Center (Mediteks), stated that they have developed machines producing fabrics utilizing nanotechnology, and further indicated the following: ‘‘The production of a 150 cm wide Nanofiber Production Machine continues with a protective mask production capacity of at least 30 thousand per day that possesses FFP3 standards. Serial production will be initiated in June.’’

Assoc. Dr. Ali Kılıç, General Manager of Areka Filtration, a company among the Istanbul Technical University ARI Teknokent firms, and Coordinator of Medikal Textiles R&D Center (Mediteks), explained the studies he collaborated in the field of medical textiles and provided information about the tests of raw materials used in masks.

Kılıç emphasized that they were holding a patent for their projects that received third prize in İTÜ Çekirdek Big Bang, and continued his statements as follows: ‘‘The project we collaborated with my students was supported by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, and Areka Filtration company was founded on the very idea of innovative fiber production systems that we are holding the patent. We sent our first nanofiber filter production machine to Hong Kong. After that, we sold the systems we developed in our country, along with exports to many different countries.’’

‘‘We Developed a Technology 30 Times More Effective’

Kılıç indicated that they manufactured mass production of the machines after developing them with the capabilities that produce innovative textile materials. Kılıç stated that 60 percent of its customers consist of the buyers in the countries such as England, Czech Republic, Philippines, and Saudi Arabia, further noted that the electrospinning process is very common in nanofiber production, and they have developed an innovative solution that utilizes blowing technology, which is 30 times more effective than the current system.

Kılıç stated that, ‘‘The system uses the gravitational forces of high-pressure air instead of electrostatic forces. In this way, the production speed is increased.’’

‘‘Mass production will be started in June’’

Kılıç continued his statements as follows:

‘‘Our project titled ‘Production of Nanofiber Production Machine, Design, Simulation, and Manufacturing of Blowing System from Industrial Solution for Production of Industrial Size Nanofibers’ is going on under the supervision of TÜBİTAK. The developed unit, which is 150 cm wide, will be capable of manufacturing at least 30 thousand protective masks per day that are by the standards of EN149. Mass production will be initiated in June. Through these new systems that we will start in June, we will develop our machines, which can produce nanofiber masks with no question marks about our standards, to our domestic companies, institutions, with local facilities. As with the other machines we have developed, we think that there will be plenty of demand from abroad for this newly worked up nanofiber production machine.’’

The Mask Tests are Performed by MediTeks

Kılıç expressed that the tests on protective masks that must be put on by citizens who are working in critical environments and especially healthcare professionals are carried out by the Medical Textiles R&D Center (MediTeks) established with the support of the Istanbul Development Agency (İSTKA).

Kılıç provided the following information regarding the tests of mask production:

‘‘There is an important mobilization in our country to produce masks and become suppliers. Therefore, state institutions and firms are asking ITU to test these masks. In the past three months, I think we have tested approximately 500 samples. As a result of these tests, we report the ones that are in conformity with the standards and those that do not. As a result, these companies advanced their R&D activities accordingly.’’

Anti-Bacterial and Liquid Proof Fabric That Prevents Infections

Stating that they developed products utilizing their innovative background in areas such as doctors’ gowns, hospital workers’ clothes, and stretcher fabric, Kılıç further indicated that, “We produce anti-bacterial and repellent products. There were certain problems that triggered the hospital infection in these products. This material repels both blood and urine (especially on gowns and stretcher fabrics) and prevents hospital infections given its antibacterial properties.

Kılıç, emphasized that they are also working on coating materials that reduce hospital infections, stated that they reduced hospital infections with the utilization of composite materials used in the interiors of health centers.

‘‘Coating Material That Can Withstand Pressures as high as 600-700 Bars’’

Kılıç stated that they developed different composite (coating) products within ITU and said that they were successful in producing a safe material covering LPG fuel tanks. Kılıç further noted the following:

‘‘We produce a number of composite materials. These composites are made of fiberglass and fiber carbon materials produced in our country. If we use these products in coating, it can withstand pressures as high as 600-700 bars. Therefore, this coating material is currently used in the field of storage of gases such as hydrogen storage, LPG, and CNG.’’