The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
Preps for commercial production of COVID-19 killing formula Metal Tech News – October 14, 2020
Zen's research team has developed graphene-based ink that is 99% effective at killing the virus responsible for COVID-19.
In preparation for commercial production of its graphene infused virucidal ink, Zen nearly doubled its laboratory and office space in Ontario, Canada.
With growing commercial interest in its coronavirus killing graphene-based ink, Zen Graphene Solutions Ltd. has expanded the laboratory and office space needed to meet demand.
In September, the Ontario-based graphene technology company announced that independent lab testing shows that its patent pending graphene infused ink is 99% effective at killing the virus responsible for COVID-19.
While non-treated masks and protective equipment can be effective at trapping viruses before they reach the body, the virus can live up to five days on cloth surfaces. This poses the potential for secondary transmission from coming in contact with these masks.
In three separate tests, all of which were verified with duplicate testing, 99% the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for COVID-19 was inactivated when applied to N95 mask filtration material treated with Zen's graphene-based ink formula.
Maybe even more significantly, the second round of tests was on material that was treated with the graphene-based virucidal ink 35 days earlier, demonstrating the lasting effectiveness of the treatment.
All testing was conducted to meet the standards of ISO, an international standard-setting organization based in Switzerland.
"These recent results have dramatically exceeded our expectations with our ink achieving 99% virucidal activity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus 35 days after production of the samples," said Zen Graphene Solutions CEO Francis Dube.
Given the potential this antiviral and antibacterial ink has for slowing the spread of COVID-19 and other disease, Zen immediately began planning the quickest path to bring the product to commercial production. This includes working with regulatory authorities and government agencies to fast-track this virucidal product to Canadian and global markets.
Zen also invited manufacturing companies interested in potential partnerships to bring this potentially game-changing ink to market to take a closer look at the data from the lab testing.
"Zen has received significant interest in our viricidal coating and is quickly moving to increase our production capacity," Dube said on Oct. 9.
The research and development of this antiviral ink formulation was conducted entirely by Zen's research team in an Ontario facility using a graphene product produced from Albany Pure Graphite, which comes from an Ontario deposit owned by the company.
Due to the commercial interest in the graphene ink, Zen has signed a two-year extension with Chemisar Laboratories Inc. that will nearly double the company's laboratory and office space at the Ontario facility.
The 4,300 square feet of office and lab spaces under the agreement are 41 miles (66 kilometers) from Toronto Pearson International Airport and centrally located to Toronto, Hamilton, Waterloo, London and multiple university partners.
"This extension and additional 2,000 square feet position us very well as we prepare to launch our first commercial product," said Dube.
The office and lab space are part of a larger 5,500 square foot, well-equipped stand-alone technology center on 1.15 acres. Zen's agreement with Chemisar includes the first right of refusal to acquire this facility.
With more than 16 years of covering mining, Shane is renowned for his insights and and in-depth analysis of mining, mineral exploration and technology metals.
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