The patent-pending new HeiQ MetalliQ face mask has the ability to deactivate the Covid-19 virus in just five minutes.

It contains an ultra-thin pure copper coating applied via a high-tech vapour deposition process, which converts a minute amount of copper into vapour, allowing it to be deposited evenly to surround each fibre.

HeiQ MetalliX technology was created by Australian materials technology company Xefco and studies conducted by the Doherty Institute in Melbourne have verified its efficacy.

Tests simulated the real-life interaction of aerosol droplets contaminating textile products such as face masks. Each sample was exposed to a high loading of Sars-CoV-2 followed by five, 15 and 30 minutes incubation at room temperature before the amount of remaining infectious Sars-CoV-2 viruses was measured. The fabric samples treated with HeiQ MetalliX indicated a virus reduction of over 97.79% in five minutes, 99.95% in 15 minutes and over 99.99% in 30 minutes, relative to the inoculum control.

Copper is a naturally occurring element, present in the earth’s crust, soil, oceans, lakes and rivers. It is also a trace element that occurs naturally in all humans, plants and animals. The antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties of copper have been known for centuries and have been demonstrated by many laboratory studies.

HeiQ MetalliX treated materials release copper ions which deactivate viruses and bacteria. Treated materials have also been tested to kill 100% of Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae and deactivate 99.95% of H1N1 virus and 99.9% of Human Coronavirus 229E.

MetalliQ is manufactured at HeiQ Medica in Spain where the company also conducts R&D activities for medical devices. Throughout its development, Xefco worked closely with long-standing research partner the Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) at Deakin University as part of the world-class ARC Research Hub for Future Fibres, of which HeiQ, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, is also a member.

www.heiq.com