Protective Clothing to block flu, colds

Protective Clothing:

Would you like a coat that can snatch viruses out of the air before they can give you a cold? Scientists and engineers and a clever design student at Cornell University have come up with clothes that do all of that and more.

The garments are unique in that they are coated with microscopic nanoparticles designed to capture viruses and bacteria, but you wouldn't know that if you just looked at them. They look like glitzy outfits that expand the realm of "functional clothing."

"Initially we were just doing this for fun," said chemical engineer Juan Hinestroza, who specializes in fiber science. But as soon as a couple of outfits designed by Olivia Ong hit the runway during a fashion show at Cornell, it became a lot more than just fun. Inspired by Smog: "There's a lot of pollution and smog, and I thought it would be interesting if we could use technology and clothing to prevent it," she said. Out of that came what Hinestroza calls a "personal air purification system," The trick, he said, is to use nanoparticles that are about the same size as the viruses and bacteria he wants to capture.

The particles he uses are a mere five to 20 nanometers in size. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. They cling to the surface of the cotton fabric because the particles and the fabric have opposite electrostatic charges. The particles are metals that can recognize specific viruses or bacteria, and thus trap them. Silver, for example, is a natural antibacterial agent.

Now, Hinestroza is working on nanoparticles that can decompose gases, like ozone, thus truly reducing the smog. And he’s even produced colors without the use of dyes, by creating nanoparticles that are just the right size to reflect the desired color.

Read more at: http://twenty1f.com/clothing-to-block-flu-colds/