Self-Disinfecting Multi-Band Photocatalyst Sheet

Abstract

A self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet includes a substrate material and a photocatalyst layer with a primary photocatalyst and a secondary photocatalyst. The primary photocatalyst is a metal oxide photocatalyst, whereas the secondary photocatalyst is a metallic photocatalyst. The primary photocatalyst forms a covalent bond with the substrate material. The self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet is photocatalytic active to different bands of wavelength. Another self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet includes a substrate material, a prime material layer and a photocatalyst layer with a primary photocatalyst and a secondary photocatalyst. The prime material layer is between the substrate and the photocatalyst layer. The primary photocatalyst forms a covalent bond with the prime material.

Claims

1. A self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet, comprising a substrate material with a first side and a second side opposite the first side; a photocatalyst layer comprising a primary photocatalyst and a secondary photocatalyst; and a layer of a prime material disposed between the substrate material and the photocatalyst layer, wherein: the primary photocatalyst comprises a metal oxide photocatalyst, the secondary photocatalyst comprises a metallic photocatalyst, a mass ratio of the primary photocatalyst to the secondary photocatalyst is greater than 2:1, the primary photocatalyst forms a covalent bond with the prime material at a molecular level, the layer of the prime material is coated on the first side of the substrate material, the photocatalyst layer is photocatalytic active to every wavelength band of a plurality of wavelength bands comprising 190˜280 nm, 280˜315 nm, 315˜400 nm, and 400˜700 nm, the photocatalyst layer is more photocatalytic active to the wavelength band 190˜280 nm than to the wavelength band 280˜315 nm, the photocatalyst layer is more photocatalytic active to the wavelength band 280˜315 nm than to the wavelength band 315˜400 nm, and the photocatalyst layer is more photocatalytic active to the wavelength band 315˜400 nm than to the wavelength band 400˜700 nm.

2. The self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet of claim 1, wherein the primary photocatalyst further comprises anatase titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2).

3. The self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet of claim 1, wherein the secondary photocatalyst further comprises silver, gold, copper, zinc, nickel, cerium, or a combination thereof.

4. The self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet of claim 3, wherein the secondary photocatalyst further comprises a third metallic photocatalyst and a fourth metallic photocatalyst with no other metallic photocatalysts.

5. The self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet of claim 4, wherein the third metallic photocatalyst comprises silver nanoparticles (NPs) and the fourth metallic photocatalyst comprises cerium NPs.

6. The self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet of claim 1, wherein the substrate material comprises a glass.

7. The self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet of claim 1, wherein the substrate material comprises a resin.

8. The self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet of claim 1, wherein an adhesive layer is coated on the second side of the substrate material.

9. The self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet of claim 8, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) material.

10. The self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet of claim 8, wherein the adhesive layer comprises an electrostatic-enhancing agent.

11. The self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet of claim 1, wherein the sheet has a transmission rate of visible light greater than 50%.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] 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.

[0024] FIG. 1 The Threshold Limit Values (dosage) according to ACGIH UV Safety Guidelines

[0025] FIG. 2 schematically depicts a diagram of an embodiment of the present disclosure with adhesive coating on the second side of a substrate material.

[0026] FIG. 3 schematically depicts a diagram of another embodiment of the present disclosure with a prime material layer between the substrate and the photocatalyst layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Overview

[0027] 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 the primary, the secondary photocatalyst, the substrate material, and the prime material.

[0028] The present disclosure discloses self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet includes a substrate material and a photocatalyst layer with a primary photocatalyst and a secondary photocatalyst. The primary photocatalyst is a metal oxide photocatalyst, whereas the secondary photocatalyst is a metallic photocatalyst. The primary photocatalyst forms a covalent bond with the substrate material. The self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet is photocatalytic active to different bands of wavelength. Another self-disinfecting photocatalyst sheet includes a substrate material, a prime material layer and a photocatalyst layer with a primary photocatalyst and a secondary photocatalyst. The prime material layer is between the substrate and the photocatalyst layer. The primary photocatalyst forms a covalent bond with the prime material.

EXAMPLE IMPLEMENTATIONS

[0029] In FIG. 2, an embodiment 100 of the present disclosure is shown. A photocatalyst layer 102 is coated over a substrate material, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 101. The photocatalyst layer contains a primary metal oxide photocatalyst TiO.sub.2 104 and two secondary metallic photocatalysts, silver nanoparticles (NPs) 105 and cerium NPs 106. The mass ratio of the primary photocatalyst TiO.sub.2 104 to the secondary metallic photocatalysts, silver nanoparticles (NPs) 105 and cerium NPs 106, is greater than 2:1. The primary photocatalyst TiO.sub.2 104 forms a covalent bond with the PVC substrate material 101 along the boundary 103 where the photocatalyst layer 102 meets the substrate material 101. With the presence of the two secondary photocatalysts, the photocatalyst layer 102 is photocatalytic active to all wavelength bands in 190˜280 nm, 280˜315 nm, 315˜400 nm, and 400˜700 nm, individually and concurrently. Moreover, the photocatalytic activeness of the photocatalyst layer 102 decreases from 190˜280 nm wavelength band to 280˜315 nm band, to 315˜400 nm band, to 400˜700 nm band. The second side of the PVC substrate material is coated with an adhesive layer 107 comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) material. With a PSA layer, the embodiment could be used as self-disinfecting window film, and it can be attached, removed, and even reattached to a glass window and provide self-disinfection protection for the glass window.

[0030] In FIG. 3, another embodiment 200 of the present disclosure is shown. A photocatalyst layer 202 is coated over a substrate material, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 201. The photocatalyst layer contains a primary metal oxide photocatalyst TiO.sub.2 204 and two secondary metallic photocatalysts, silver nanoparticles (NPs) 205 and cerium NPs 206. The mass ratio of the primary photocatalyst TiO.sub.2 204 to the secondary metallic photocatalysts, silver nanoparticles (NPs) 205 and cerium NPs 206, is greater than 2:1. There is a prime material layer 208 between the substrate material 201 and the photocatalyst layer 202. The primary photocatalyst TiO.sub.2 204 forms a covalent bond with the prime material layer 208 along the boundary 203 where the photocatalyst layer 202 meets the prime material layer 208. With the presence of the two secondary photocatalysts, the photocatalyst layer 202 is photocatalytic active to all wavelength bands in 190˜280 nm, 280˜315 nm, 315˜400 nm, and 400˜700 nm, individually and concurrently. Moreover, the photocatalytic activeness of the photocatalyst layer 102 decreases from 190˜280 nm wavelength band to 280˜315 nm band, to 315˜400 nm band, to 400˜700 nm band. The second side of the PVC substrate material is coated with an adhesive layer 207 comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) material. In some implementation, the photocatalyst layer is more photocatalytic active to the wavelength band 190˜280 nm than to the wavelength band 280˜315 nm, when the photocatalyst layer is exposed to the same amount of germicidal light dosage (mJ/cm.sup.2) from both wavelength bands. Additionally, or alternatively, the photocatalyst layer is more photocatalytic active to the wavelength band 280˜315 nm than to the wavelength band 315˜400 nm, when the photocatalyst layer is exposed to the same amount of germicidal light dosage (mJ/cm.sup.2) from both wavelength bands. Additionally, or alternatively, the photocatalyst layer is more photocatalytic active to the wavelength band 315˜400 nm than to the wavelength band 400˜700 nm, when the photocatalyst layer is exposed to the same amount of germicidal light dosage (mJ/cm.sup.2) from both wavelength bands.

ADDITIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE IMPLEMENTATION NOTES

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.