Swiss innovator Osmotex has developed the Osmotex Steriliser Technology that the company says can make textiles and personal items virus and bacteria free. Osmotex has now launched the first series of masks for early adopters at the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo. With the Covid-19 outbreak and other virus infections, the market for sterilising facemasks and personal items is increasing and Osmotex considers its solution a real breakthrough.

“With the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw new opportunities for our proprietary osmosis technology. To help make surfaces virus and bacteria free, we have developed the Osmotex Steriliser Technology which we are working to rapidly bring to the market,” says Joacim Holter, Chairman of the Board at Osmotex.

“In addition to the very high sterilising effect, the most important benefit of the technology is the fact that the effective sterilising happens within a few minutes,” says Holter.

According to the company, Osmotex Steriliser Technology is a unique and ground-breaking technology based on Osmotex’ core commercialized technology, electronically controlled moisture migration in fabrics based on an electro-osmotic and electro-chemical process. By applying an electric pulse, the Osmotex Steriliser technology effectively sterilise the textile and any objects in direct contact within minutes, the company explains. The technology is already proven to have a strong sterilising effect, it adds.

“Over the past months, we have worked hard with intensive testing to further develop the technology. Internal tests have continuously shown instances of disinfecting agents able to exterminate virus and bacteria, and independent studies from the Zürich University for Applied sciences (ZHAW) confirm a 99,999% efficacy on virus and 100% efficacy on bacteria,” says Holter.

The technology stimulates a controlled interaction of moisture and electric pulses, which form the highly disinfecting compounds Ozone (O3) and Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2). The compounds are broadly used for sterilisation in different industries and medical treatments,  and cause an active anti-viral and anti-bacterial effect inside and on the surface of a textile.

The first product with the Osmotex Steriliser technology integrated are re-usable facemasks. Additionally, Osmotex plans to launch textile bags for sterilisation of personal items. The applications will be re-usable and driven solely with moisture and an electric pulse. There are no chemicals added and the technology is environmentally friendly, according to Osmotex. The facemask will consist of Osmotex Steriliser textile with a N95 filter added for extra safety, electronic connectors and a control-box with rechargeable battery.

Being based on electrochemical reactions, also opens up the development for new functionalities and applications, Osmotex explains. As a result, the company will explore how the technology can be applied in other industries in the future, including other touch-surfaces, such as seats and interior in public transport and sheets and mattresses to hospitals and hotels in the long term.

Osmotex AG is a Swiss corporation founded in 2008 funded by group of Norwegian and Swiss Investors and Banks. The company is a research and development company dedicated to electrochemical reactions and electroosmotic vapour and fluid transport. Osmotex has developed a revolutionary proprietary technology for electronically controlled moisture transport in membranes and textiles. Osmotex Steriliser Technology is a result of diligent research and development efforts orchestrated from Switzerland, where the traditions of Swiss precision and quality have been guiding the work, concludes Osmotex. 

Osmotex Indiegogo Crowdfunder

Osmotex Website