Exposed to sunlight, cotton fabric cleans itself
December 15th, 2011 - 1:30 pm ICT by IANSWashington, Dec 15 (IANS) Scientists from China are developing a cotton fabric that can clean itself of stains and bugs when exposed to ordinary sunlight.
Environmental researchers Mingce Long and Deyong Wu, from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Hubei University for Nationalities, China, say their fabric uses a coating made from a compound of titanium dioxide, the white material used in white paint, foods and sunscreen lotions.
Titanium dioxide breaks down dirt and kills microbes when exposed to some type of light. It is used in self-cleaning windows, kitchen and bathroom tiles, odour-free socks and other products, the journal Applied Materials & Interfaces reported.
Self-cleaning cotton fabrics have been made in the past, but they self-clean thoroughly only when exposed to ultraviolet rays.
A new cotton fabric has been developed that cleans itself when exposed to ordinary sunlight, said a statement of the American Chemical Society.
Their report describes cotton fabric coated with nanoparticles made from a compound of titanium dioxide and nitrogen, said the statement.
The report shows how the fabric coated with the material removes an orange dye stain when exposed to sunlight. Dispersing the nanoparticles composed of silver and iodine accelerates the discoloration process. The coating remains intact after washing and drying.
- Kids most exposed to harmful nanoparticles - Feb 16, 2012
- Now, power your home with 'solar paint' - Dec 22, 2011
- Nanotube yarns key to survival of 'smart clothing' in laundry - Jan 07, 2011
- New system uses sunlight to make clean water from waste effluents - Jan 12, 2011
- Nanoparticles in common cosmetics, paints may cause genetic damage - Nov 17, 2009
- Researchers create self-cleaning wool, silk using nanotechnology - Feb 12, 2008
- Common metal could efficiently produce fuel from sunlight - Jan 20, 2011
- New material can help extract ketchup easily - Nov 13, 2011
- New 'self-dusting solar panels' inspired by Mars mission - Aug 23, 2010
- Nanoparticles of titanium dioxide found to affect brain development in mice - Jul 29, 2009
- Textiles with self-cleaning properties may soon be a reality - Mar 05, 2008
- Pitcher plant inspires liquid repelling coating - Sep 23, 2011
- Soon, a window that washes itself - Dec 04, 2009
- Sunscreen chemical may cause cancer - Dec 01, 2011
- Sun-powered device converts CO2 into fuel - Feb 19, 2009
Tags: american chemical society, applied materials, bathroom tiles, cleaning windows, cotton fabric, cotton fabrics, environmental researchers, free socks, hubei university, iodine, jiao tong university, microbes, nanoparticles, nationalities, shanghai jiao tong, shanghai jiao tong university, sunscreen lotions, titanium dioxide, ultraviolet rays, white paint