Anti-Bacterial Photocatalytic Coated Apparatus

Abstract

An anti-bacterial photocatalytic apparatus includes one three dimensional object and one photocatalytic film. The three dimensional object is coated at least partially on the surface with the photocatalytic film. The thickness of the three dimension object underneath the photocatalytic film is at least 20 m. The transparency of the photocatalytic film is at least 90%, and the thickness of the photocatalytic film is at least 300 nm. Moreover, the photocatalytic film is photocatalytic activated by ambient light with at least 95% of a spectral power distribution (SPD) in the visible light wavelength range greater than 400 nm. When such photocatalytic apparatus is disposed in an indoor environment with normal lighting, the apparatus is photocatalytic activated and can kill the bacteria and the viruses left by people through making contact with the apparatus.

Claims

1. An anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus, comprising: a three-dimensional object; and an anti-bacterial photocatalytic film, wherein: the three-dimension object is coated at least partially on a surface with the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film, a transparency of the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film is at least 90%, a thickness of the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film is at least 300 nm, a thickness of the three-dimension object underneath the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film is at least 20 m, and the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film is photocatalytic activated by ambient light with at least 95% of a spectral power distribution (SPD) in a visible light wavelength range greater than 400 nm.

2. The anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of claim 1, wherein a main active ingredient of the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film comprises titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2).

3. The anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of claim 2, wherein the main active ingredient comprises rhombus-shaped anatase-type titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2).

4. The anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film contains at least one other active metal ingredient comprising silver, gold, copper, zinc, nickel, or a combination thereof.

5. The anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of claim 1, wherein a main active ingredient of the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film comprises a noble metal nanoparticle comprising gold (Au) or sliver (Ag).

6. The anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of claim 1, wherein a prime coating film is disposed between the three-dimensional object and the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film, and wherein the prime coating film has at least 90% light transparency.

7. The anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of claim 1, wherein a prime coating material with at least 90% light transparency is intermixed with photocatalytic particles of the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film.

8. The anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of claim 7, wherein the prime coating material comprises waterborne polyurethane dispersion (PUD) or waterborne polyurethane acrylate (PUA).

9. The anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of claim 1, the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film is coated onto the three-dimension object through spraying of a water-based photocatalytic coating liquid comprising at least 95% of net weight in water and less than 5% of net weight in photocatalytic particles.

10. The anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of claim 9, wherein a coating of the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film is followed by baking the three-dimension object at a temperature greater than 50 degree Celsius for at least 5 minutes.

11. The anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of claim 1, the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film is coated onto the three-dimension object through immersing the three-dimension object into a water-based photocatalytic coating liquid comprising at least 95% of net weight in water and less than 5% of net weight in photocatalytic particles.

12. The anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of claim 11, wherein a coating of the anti-bacterial photocatalytic film is followed by baking the three-dimension object at a temperature greater than 50 degree Celsius for at least 5 minutes.

13. The anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional object is of any shape, size, or material, and is rigid, soft, or flexible.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The accompanying drawings are included to aid further understanding of the present disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of the present disclosure. The drawings illustrate a select number of embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the detailed description below, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. It is appreciable that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, as some components may be shown to be out of proportion to size in actual implementation in order to clearly illustrate the concept of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 1 lists in a table the minimal usage of rhombus-shape anatase-type titanium dioxide coating liquid for different substrate materials with anti-bacterial effect.

[0022] FIG. 2a lists in a table the test result of spray-coating the rhombus-shape anatase-type titanium dioxide coating liquid on polycarbonate and powder coated aluminum substrates with E. Coli bacteria.

[0023] FIG. 2b lists in a table the test result of spray-coating the rhombus-shape anatase-type titanium dioxide coating liquid on polycarbonate and powder coated aluminum substrates with Staph. aureus bacteria.

[0024] FIG. 3 lists in a table the scrubbing test results of polycarbonate and powder coated aluminum substrates after coating with the same amount of rhombus-shape anatase-type titanium and the heat-dried at different temperatures.

[0025] FIG. 4 schematically depicts a diagram of anti-bacterial metal door knob.

[0026] FIG. 5 schematically depicts a diagram of anti-bacterial toilet seat.

[0027] FIG. 6 schematically depicts a diagram of anti-bacterial hand-pump dispenser.

[0028] FIG. 7 schematically depicts a diagram of anti-bacterial another dispenser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Overview

[0029] Various implementations of the present disclosure and related inventive concepts are described below. It should be acknowledged, however, that the present disclosure is not limited to any particular manner of implementation, and that the various embodiments discussed explicitly herein are primarily for purposes of illustration. For example, the various concepts discussed herein may be suitably implemented in a variety of lighting apparatuses having different form factors.

EXAMPLE IMPLEMENTATIONS

[0030] The FIG. 1 is an embodiment of the anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of the present disclosure in a form of a metal door knob 100. By nature, the surface of the metal door knob 101 doesn't has spores, so it can't form strong binding with a water-based photocatalytic coating liquid. So a prime coating material polyurethane dispersion (PUD) 102 with a strong adhesiveness to metal is applied on the surface of the metal door knob first, and then a photocatalytic film 103 is coated over the prime coating film. The applying of the priming coating film and the photocatalytic film may be through spraying or immersion. The photocatalytic coating liquid is applied over the PUD prime coating film before the PUD material is completely dry up. A baking process may be used after applying the photocatalytic coating liquid to ensure a binding with the surface of the metal door knob. The thickness of the PUD prime coating film 300-400 nm. The thickness of the photocatalytic film is at least 200 nm in order to guarantee the effectiveness of the bacteria killing effect. Both the prime coating film 102 and photocatalytic film 103 are transparent, so they don't change the color and the textile of the underlying surface of the metal door knob. The photocatalytic film 103 may be activated by an ambient light source, such as incandescent light, fluorescent light, LED light, halogen light, or any similar light source with at least 95% of a spectral power distribution (SPD) in the visible light wavelength range greater than 400 nm. The bacteria and the viruses left on the surface of this door knob by user's hands would be killed and decomposed by the photocatalytic film 103. This anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated door knob doesn't require dedicated (UV) light source to activate the photocatalytic activity.

[0031] The FIG. 2 is another embodiment of the anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of the present disclosure in a form of a toilet 200. A water-based photocatalytic coating liquid with rhombus-shaped anatase-type titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) is mixed with a waterborne prime coating material polyurethane dispersion (PUD) first, and then coated on the surface of the toilet seat 201, resulting a coating film 202 of TiO.sub.2 and PUD with a thickness of 500-600 nm. The mixed coating film 202 of TiO.sub.2 and PUD can be photocatalytic activated by the ambient light source in the bathroom since incandescent light, fluorescent light, LED light, or halogen light all have at least 95% of a spectral power distribution (SPD) in the visible light wavelength range greater than 400 nm. The bacteria and the viruses left on the surface of this toilet seat through physical contact of a user would be killed and decomposed by the mixed coating film 202 of TiO.sub.2 and PUD, thus prevent the transmission of an infectious disease from the skin of one user to the next.

[0032] The FIG. 3 is another embodiment of the anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of the present disclosure in a form of a hand pump dispenser 300. A water-based photocatalytic coating liquid with rhombus-shaped anatase-type titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) is mixed with a waterborne prime coating material polyurethane dispersion (PUD) first, and then coated on the surface of the hand pump dispenser 301, through dipping the dispenser into the mixed coating film 302 of TiO.sub.2 and PUD. The thickness of the mixing coating film 302 of TiO.sub.2 and PUD may be around 300-400 nm. After dipping, a baking process may be used on the hand pump dispenser 300 for forming a strong binding of the mixed photocatalytic coating film 302 with the surface of the hand pump dispenser 301 so as to withstand the constant rubbing of the dispenser surface through its normal use. The mixed coating film 302 of TiO.sub.2 and PUD can be photocatalytic activated by the ambient light source with at least 95% of a spectral power distribution (SPD) in the visible light wavelength range greater than 400 nm. The bacteria and the viruses left on the surface of this hand pump dispenser through physical contact of a user would be killed and decomposed by the mixed coating film 302 of TiO.sub.2 and PUD.

[0033] The FIG. 4 is another embodiment of the anti-bacterial photocatalytic coated apparatus of the present disclosure in a form of a liquid dispenser 400. A water-based photocatalytic coating liquid with rhombus-shaped anatase-type titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) is mixed with a waterborne prime coating material polyurethane dispersion (PUD) first, and then coated on the surface of the dispenser 401 through spraying. The thickness of the mixing coating film 402 of TiO.sub.2 and PUD may be around 300-400 nm. After spraying, a baking process may be used on the hand pump dispenser 400 for forming a strong binding of the mixed photocatalytic coating film 402 with the surface of the hand pump dispenser 401 so as to withstand the constant rubbing of the dispenser surface through its normal use. The mixed coating film 402 of TiO.sub.2 and PUD can be photocatalytic activated by the ambient light source with at least 95% of a spectral power distribution (SPD) in the visible light wavelength range greater than 400 nm. The bacteria and the viruses left on the surface of this dispenser through physical contact of a user would be killed and decomposed by the mixed coating film 402 of TiO.sub.2 and PUD. For dispenser type of device, it is not necessary to coat the whole surface with the photocatalytic film. It suffices to have photocatalytic film on the touch points of the dispenser, i.e., the areas where that are most touched when in use.

Additional and Alternative Implementation Notes

[0034] Although the techniques have been described in language specific to certain applications, it is to be understood that the appended claims are not necessarily limited to the specific features or applications described herein. Rather, the specific features and examples are disclosed as non-limiting exemplary forms of implementing such techniques.

[0035] As used in this application, the term or is intended to mean an inclusive or rather than an exclusive or. That is, unless specified otherwise or clear from context, X employs A or B is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then X employs A or B is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. In addition, the articles a and an as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean one or more, unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form.