Following the Science for the New Normal
As we all adjust to a new, highly sanitised world, manufacturers are finding new ways to keep our worlds clean & covid free within the new normal. To prevent a further litany of lockdowns, innovators are coming up with ways in which we can all live safely & well with the virus. As a result, industrial & commercial cleaning providers have had to source or develop new highly robust & sustainable products processes to meet the high standards of covid secure cleanliness.
This is where plasma chemistry specialists such as Fourth State, who harness space-age technology to the cosmetic & wound sector, have been able to help. Founded in 2012 by Dr Thomas Frame & Dr Thomas Harle, Fourth State aim to make plasma chemistry accessible for commercial use. Since its inception, both doctors have drawn on their experience gained during their PhDs at the Surrey Space Centre, where they worked on satellite systems engineering & experimental plasma physics.
How can space-age technology help?
Fourth State innovative product ModuNOxD is a robust Ozone generator designed & manufactured in the UK for industrial disinfection applications. In January 2021, to safely enable locations such as train stations & airports to operate under heightened covid regulation, a company with an interesting application approached Fourth State to integrate ModuNOxD into their system to clean escalator handrails. To respond to the high-volume quantities required, they chose Morgan IAT due to our world-leading med-tech expertise & highly-agile production lines to provide contract manufacturing of ModuNOxD.
How the science works
Fourth State products generate useful reactive gases by combining ambient air & electricity; they specialise in generating oxides of nitrogen & Ozone in situ. Their technology is based on plasma (ionised gas), the fourth state of matter after solid, liquid & gas. ModuNOxD is their most robust Ozone generator, designed for integrators & capable of long term high duty operation without the need for active cooling, regular servicing, or consumable elements. Hence its suitability for the end application of this project. Fourth State offers both development kits & modules for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) integration. They currently provide generators for Ozone (O3), nitric oxide (NO) & nitrogen dioxide (NO2). While these gases are commonly known as poisons & pollutants, each in the suitable concentrations has been shown to kill various bacteria.
How is ModuNOxD unique?
Designed & developed within the UK, ModuNOxD effectively & automatically disinfects small enclosed volumes, including resistant pathogens. The product never runs out & is very low maintenance, making it highly suitable for industrial application. Gases distribute evenly throughout the treatment volume with no shadowing effects compared to UV lights. The product can operate effectively at room temperature & leaves no wet chemical residue, again making it highly adaptable to a variety of high-traffic, public-facing environments. As a truly unique OEM component, it solves many problems that companies have by providing a chemistry generating engine for their range of products – reducing development time, cost & time to market
Moving forward in the new normal
Both Morgan IAT & Fourth State share the ethos of embracing innovation that positively impacts the health & well-being of society, making this partnership the perfect collaborative project for both companies.
On being asked about working with Morgan IAT co-founder Dr Thomas Harle said:
“Working with Morgan AIT has been great for us. Their straightforward attitude & competence have created a friendly & transparent working relationship. We’re really looking forward to working with the Morgan team to ramp production even further & on the development of future product derivatives.”
Similarly, Morgan IAT CEO Nigel Clarke relished the opportunity to work with the scientific specialists:
“Morgan IAT met Fourth State many years ago & have followed their progress over the years, so to now become their manufacturing & development partner on this fantastic device is truly satisfying. The fact that they share our ethos of positively impacting people’s lives means their product fits seamlessly into our existing range & that of the businesses with whom we partner. This fantastic innovation sanitises the everyday systems used by millions of people each day, keeping people safe without their even noticing, & we are proud to be partnering with such a great company.”
To view more of our innovative projects please visit our page here
To find out more on Fourth State visit https://www.fourthstatemedicine.co.uk