The project “R4SB – ReActive for Synthetic Blood” was born few days after the beginning of the POLIMASK program started from Politecnico di Milano and Regione Lombardia during the first phase of the Covid-19 emergency. The program POLIMASK had the target of creating a local supply chain (national and regional) for the supply of surgical masks, FFP2 / FFP3 half-face masks, protective coats and other medical devices.

In this framework, Politecnico di Milano was involved in the experimental characterization of materials proposed by the industry for the production of masks and protective clothes. In few days, four departments of the Politecnico di Milano designed and implemented a complete series of tests and related experimental set-up compliant with the current standards. The materials have been tested in terms of differential pressure, particle filtration efficiency (PFE), bacterial filtratione efficiency (BFE) and blood splash resistance.

ReActive – Powder Technology has been involved in the design and production of the synthetic blood for the splash test. Two synthetic bloods have been designed: one for the splash test of surgical masks, and one for the test of protecting clothing.

Toghether with the Space Propulsion Laboratory (SPLab) of the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DAER), a machine capable to perform the splash test as described by the ISO 22609:2004 standard has been implemented.

During the first Covid-19 wave, the project was focused non only on the prodution of the synthetic blood, but also to development of other body fluid simulants. During the “first wave” of the Covid-19, several companies helped us supplying chemicals and materials difficult to find during the lockdown. We would like to express our sincere thanks to all of them.