Director-Technology, NICHEM SOLUTIONS
Achiever's Success Story
Atmanirbhar Bharat Award, 2021
Prof. V.C.Malshe, a 74 years young scientist has been working on water and environmental sciences for years. A retired professor of Paints technology from ICT Mumbai (erstwhile UDCT Mumbai) is the Director Technology in NiChem Solutions. He noticed years ago that the country is wasting (and continues to do so) about 30% of its agro produce due to inadequate handling, transportation, storage facilities and absence of cold chain in the country. In an effort to increase the life of fruits and vegetables, he stumbled upon the idea of catalytically destroying ethylene. The idea was soon converted in a product and a patent for the same was applied in 2009.
In the forthcoming years, the same product underwent morphological changes and emerged as a catalyst that could generate hydroxyl free radicals. These are very potent oxidizing agents and hence are able to destroy bacteria, fungus and viruses in physical contact.
In the pandemic, the country started importing face masks that would be able to destroy 95% viruses and could be repeatedly washed for 20 washes without losing effectiveness. These were very highly priced and involved foreign exchange. There was no local technology in sight that could have served 1400 million Indians at an affordable price.
Extending the idea, the catalyst was converted in a coating that could destroy bacteria and viruses on contact. The coating was tested for 25 washes first and then for 50 washes and was found to retain 100% of the activity. The best part is, the coating did not change the appearance of the mask, is soft and smooth, does not obstruct the breathing process and there is no discomfort to the user even if the mask is worn for a long time.
In the first phase of development, the masks were distributed free to friends and business associates. As a social responsibility, these were also gifted to doctors, health workers, volunteers, police men and house keeping staff of societies.
It is a pride to share that NiChem Solutions has also received this year’s “The Star SIES SOP Award 2021” for our work on Antimicrobial Coatings for Paper Packaging.
NiChem Solutions is exporting this technology for Water Purification, to a considerable extent in the US & this year, it has been bestowed upon “The All India Export Excellence Award 2021” by the Federation of Industries of India-TMA
The management of NiChem Solutions is committed to develop indigenous products for the country that no other country would develop for India. We look forward to carrying on the work for the benefit of the last person in the chain, at an economical cost, making full use of chemistry and technology. The usefulness of the technology is being explored in other fields like currency paper, writing paper, paints and coatings, plastics storage tanks used for water storages, treatment of hospital linen, cosmetic applications like anti acne creams, pharmaceutical applications like external anti biotic products to which no bacterial can ever develop resistance.
NiChem will continue to contribute to make Bharat Atmanirbhar in true sense.
Entire team of NiChem Solutions is thankful to Atmanirbhar Bharat for this recognition!
