U.S. patent application number 13/292550 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-08 for fiber including silica and metal oxide.
This patent application is currently assigned to KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND BUSINESS FOUNDATION. Invention is credited to Kwangyeol Lee.
Application Number | 20120058884 13/292550 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41725748 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120058884 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Kwangyeol |
March 8, 2012 |
FIBER INCLUDING SILICA AND METAL OXIDE
Abstract
Techniques for coating a fiber with metal oxide include forming
silica in the fiber to fix the metal oxide to the fiber. The coated
fiber can be used to facilitate photocatalysis.
Inventors: |
Lee; Kwangyeol; (Gyeongkido,
KR) |
Assignee: |
KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND
BUSINESS FOUNDATION
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
41725748 |
Appl. No.: |
13/292550 |
Filed: |
November 9, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12199748 |
Aug 27, 2008 |
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13292550 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
502/5 ;
422/186.3; 422/240; 502/232; 502/240; 502/241; 502/242; 502/243;
502/244; 502/246; 502/247; 502/250; 502/253; 502/254; 502/255;
502/256; 502/258; 502/259; 502/260; 502/261; 502/262; 502/263 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01J 35/1019 20130101;
Y10T 428/249978 20150401; Y10T 442/3049 20150401; C02F 2307/02
20130101; B01J 21/063 20130101; C02F 1/725 20130101; Y02W 10/37
20150501; C02F 2305/10 20130101; C02F 2103/20 20130101; B01J
35/1061 20130101; B01J 35/1023 20130101; Y10T 428/2915 20150115;
B01J 21/18 20130101; B01J 35/06 20130101; B01J 37/0221 20130101;
B01J 35/004 20130101; Y10T 428/2958 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
502/5 ;
422/186.3; 422/240; 502/232; 502/240; 502/241; 502/242; 502/243;
502/244; 502/246; 502/247; 502/250; 502/253; 502/254; 502/255;
502/256; 502/258; 502/259; 502/260; 502/261; 502/262; 502/263 |
International
Class: |
B01J 21/08 20060101
B01J021/08; B01J 21/12 20060101 B01J021/12; B01J 37/34 20060101
B01J037/34; B01J 21/14 20060101 B01J021/14; B01J 19/12 20060101
B01J019/12; B01J 19/00 20060101 B01J019/00 |
Claims
1. A fiber comprising: a silica phase formed in a core of the
fiber; and a crystalline metal oxide phase formed on the surface of
the fiber, wherein the crystalline metal oxide phase is
mesoporous.
2. The fiber of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide phase comprises an
oxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of Zn, Al, Y,
Li, B, Na, Ba, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru,
Rh, Pd, Ag, W, Pt, Au, Ce and any combination thereof.
3. The fiber of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide phase comprises a
photocatalytic metal oxide.
4. The fiber of claim 1, where the metal oxide phase comprises a
metal oxide selected from the group consisting of V.sub.2O.sub.3,
ZnO, ZrO.sub.2, SnO, WO, and Fe.sub.2O.sub.3.
5. The fiber of claim 1, where the metal oxide phase comprises
titanium dioxide.
6. The fiber of claim 5, wherein the fiber further comprises a
second metal oxide on the surface of the fiber.
7. The fiber of claim 6, wherein the second metal oxide phase
comprises a second metal oxide selected from the group consisting
of V.sub.2O.sub.3, ZnO, ZrO.sub.2, SnO, WO, and
Fe.sub.2O.sub.3.
8. The fiber of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the fiber is about 1
mm or less.
9. The fiber of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide phase comprises
titanium dioxide, and the crystalline metal oxide phase is an
anatase-type crystalline structure.
10. The fiber of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide phase is
chemically bonded to the silica phase.
11. The fiber of claim 1, wherein a pore of the metal oxide phase
has a diameter ranging from about 1 nm to about 50 nm.
12. The fiber of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide phase has an
effective surface area ranging from about 200 m.sup.2/g to about
3000 m.sup.2/g.
13. A method comprising exposing the fiber of claim 1 to
ultraviolet light.
14. An apparatus, comprising: at least one fabric pad prepared from
a fiber comprising silica and metal oxide, wherein the fiber
comprises a silica phase formed in a core of the fiber, and wherein
the fiber comprises a metal oxide phase formed on a surface of the
fiber.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the metal oxide phase
comprises at least one mesoporous metal oxide phase.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the metal oxide phase is
crystalline.
17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the metal oxide comprises an
oxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zn, Al,
Y, Li, B, Na, Ba, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo,
Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, W, Pt, Au, Ce and any combination thereof.
18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a diameter of the fiber is
about 1 mm or less.
19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the fabric pad comprises a
woven fabric pad.
20. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising at least one
ultraviolet light source.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser.
No. 12/199,748, filed Aug. 27, 2008, which is hereby incorporated
by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] It is known that metal oxide such as titanium oxide may be
used as photocatalyst by absorbing light energy. Using such effect,
there have been attempts to remove environmental pollution such as
the sources of air pollution and water pollution. In the past, it
was general to use metal oxide by fixing it in a carrier such as
metal, ceramic and activated carbon. However, in the case of fixing
a photocatalyst on a surface, the photocatalyst can detach from the
carrier. Also, it is not easy to change photocatalyst according to
the shape of a reactor because the photocatalyst is fixed. In the
case of using photocatalyst in a fixed carrier, it is not easy to
replace photocatalyst whose activity is lowered because of aging
and repetitive uses.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 is a flow chart of an illustrative embodiment of a
method for preparing a fiber.
[0004] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an illustrative embodiment
of a device having a fabric pad. 1.
[0005] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an illustrative embodiment
of an apparatus using a fabric pad.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0006] In the following detailed description, reference is made to
the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the
drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components,
unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments
described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not
meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other
changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of
the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood
that the components of the present disclosure, as generally
described herein, and illustrated in the Figures, may be arranged,
substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different
configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and make
part of this disclosure.
[0007] In one embodiment, a method for preparing a fiber may
include providing a solution containing at least one metal oxide
precursor and/or at least one metal oxide to a carbon fiber, drying
the carbon fiber to immobilize the metal oxide precursor and/or the
metal oxide on a surface of the carbon fiber, providing a
polycarbosilane melt to the carbon fiber, and heating the carbon
fiber to obtain a fiber including silica and metal oxide. One such
embodiment is shown in FIG. 1.
[0008] In another embodiment, a fiber may include silica and metal
oxide, where the fiber include a silica phase formed in a core of
the fiber, and where the fiber includes a metal oxide phase formed
on a surface of the fiber.
[0009] In yet another embodiment, an apparatus may include at least
one fabric pad prepared from a fiber including silica and metal
oxide, where the fiber includes a silica phase formed in a core of
the fiber, and where the fiber include a metal oxide phase formed
on a surface of the fiber, and at least one device for fixing the
fabric pad.
A Method For Preparing A Fiber
[0010] In order to prepare a fiber including silica and metal
oxide, a solution containing at least one metal oxide precursor
and/or at least one metal oxide may be provided to a carbon fiber.
A variety of suitable methods may be employed for providing a
solution to the carbon fiber. In some embodiments, a solution may
be coated on a surface of the carbon fiber using methods such as
dip coating, spray coating and the like.
[0011] In one embodiment, a carbon fiber may include only carbon
atoms. A carbon fiber may be prepared by pyrolyzing a fiber spun
out of an organic precursor in the form of a fiber, under inert
conditions. In one embodiment, the heating of the pyrolyzing
process is carried out at a temperature of about 1000.degree. C. to
about 3000.degree. C. A carbon fiber may include carbon of at a
purity of about 92% to about 99.99%.
[0012] A carbon fiber may be classified into a cellulose carbon
fiber (rayon carbon fiber), an acrylonitrile carbon fiber, a phenol
carbon fiber, a pitch carbon fiber, a polyvinylalcohol carbon fiber
and the like, according to a type of an organic precursor.
[0013] In one embodiment, a carbon fiber may be prepared from an
appropriate organic precursor using standard methods. A structure
of a carbon fiber may vary depending on a type of a precursor used,
a method of heating the precursor, a temperature of the heating,
and whether drawing is performed or not when heating. One skilled
in the art may obtain a carbon fiber with desirable structure by
properly modifying such conditions.
[0014] In one embodiment, an average diameter of the carbon fibers
ranges from about 1 mm or less. In other embodiments, the carbon
fiber diameter ranges from about 500 pm or less. In still other
embodiments, the carbon fiber diameter ranges from about 100 .mu.m
or less. In yet other embodiments, the carbon fiber diameter ranges
from about 50 .mu.m or less, or even about 1 .mu.m or less in still
further embodiments. Further, in some embodiments a specific
surface area of a carbon fiber may range from about 200 m.sup.2/g
to about 3000 m.sup.2/g. In other embodiments the carbon fiber may
have different specific surface area.
[0015] A carbon fiber may be in the form of one-dimensional
filament or yarn. A carbon fiber may be manufactured in a desirable
form. For example, in some embodiments, carbon fiber may be in the
form of a fiber bundle, bulky fiber, woven fabric, non-woven
fabric, braided fabric, paper, felt and the like.
[0016] In one embodiment, a variety of suitable metal oxide
precursors capable of providing metal oxide having desirable
properties may be used. For example, a metal oxide precursor may
include at least one metal element such as Ti, Zn, Al, Y, Li, B,
Na, Ba, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd,
Ag, W, Pt, Au, Ce or any combination thereof, accordingly, claimed
subject matter is not limited in this regard. A metal oxide
precursor may be provided in the form of metal alkoxide, metal
halide or metal salt; however, claimed subject matter is not
limited in this regard. The metal oxide precursor may provide metal
oxide by oxidization.
[0017] In other embodiments, at least one titanium oxide precursor
may be used. Examples of titanium oxide precursor may include
titanium alkoxide, titanium halide, titanium salt and the like
however, claimed subject matter is not limited in this regard.
Examples of titanium alkoxide may include titanium tetra-methoxide,
titanium tetra-ethoxide, titanium tetra-isopropoxide, titanium
tetra-butoxide, titanium monomethoxy-triisopropoxide, titanium
dimethoxy-diisopropoxide and the like. Examples of titanium halide
may include titanium tetra-fluoride, titanium tetra-chloride,
titanium tetra-bromide, titanium tetra-iodide and the like.
Examples of titanium salt may include Ti(ClO).sub.2, Ti(ClO).sub.3,
Ti(ClO).sub.4, Ti(ClO.sub.2).sub.2, Ti(ClO.sub.2).sub.3,
Ti(ClO.sub.2).sub.4, Ti(ClO.sub.3).sub.2, Ti(ClO.sub.3).sub.3,
Ti(ClO.sub.3).sub.4, Ti(ClO.sub.4).sub.2, Ti(ClO.sub.4).sub.3,
Ti(ClO.sub.4).sub.4, Ti(CO.sub.3).sub.2, Ti(HCO.sub.3).sub.2,
Ti(HCO.sub.3).sub.3, Ti(HCO.sub.3).sub.4, Ti(HPO.sub.4).sub.2,
Ti(NO.sub.2).sub.2, Ti(NO.sub.2).sub.3, Ti(NO.sub.2).sub.4,
Ti(NO.sub.3).sub.2, Ti(NO.sub.3).sub.3, Ti(NO.sub.3).sub.4,
Ti(SO.sub.3).sub.2, Ti(SO.sub.4).sub.2, Ti.sub.2(CO.sub.3).sub.3,
Ti.sub.2(HPO.sub.4).sub.3, Ti.sub.2(SO.sub.3).sub.3,
Ti.sub.2(SO.sub.4).sub.3, Ti.sub.3(PO.sub.4).sub.2,
Ti.sub.3(PO.sub.4).sub.4, TiCO.sub.3, TiHPO.sub.4, TiPO.sub.4,
TiSO.sub.3, TiSO.sub.4 and the like.
[0018] An amount of metal oxide formed on a surface of a prepared
fiber may vary depending on the concentration of at least one metal
oxide precursor and/or at least one metal oxide in a solution. In
addition, the amount of metal oxide may be further varied by
repeating the number of coatings, etc. In one embodiment, an amount
of metal oxide in a solution may be about 0.1 M to about 1 M. In
other embodiments, different concentrations of metal oxide in the
solution may be used.
[0019] In one embodiment, at least one metal oxide precursor and/or
at least one metal oxide may be dissolved in a variety of suitable
organic solvents. For example, the solvent may be water, alcohol
(for example, methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, pentanol and
combinations thereof), or any combination thereof.
[0020] In one embodiment, a surface of a carbon fiber is coated
with a solution containing at least one metal oxide (for example,
titanium oxide). In such embodiment, a crystalline of a metal oxide
phase coated on a surface of the fiber may be improved, since a
metal oxide having a pre-determined crystalline is used.
[0021] In one embodiment the metal oxide solution includes only one
metal element. In other embodiments, metal oxide solution may
include two or more metal elements. In some embodiments of the
multi-metal solution, various ratios of each metal oxide may be
employed. For example, two or more metal elements may be used in a
same amount by mole, or, in other embodiments, one of metal
elements may have a higher concentration than that of the other
metal elements. In one such embodiment, the concentration may be
differentiated by doping the main metal oxide phase on the surface
of the fiber.
[0022] In one embodiment, a carbon fiber is coated with a solution
containing at least one metal oxide precursor and/or at least one
metal oxide. The coated carbon fiber may then be dried. In some
embodiments, the carbon fiber may be dried using standard methods
of drying such as, for example, with unheated air (or other gas or
gases), heated air or gas, sunlight, infrared light and the like.
Drying may be carried out at a temperature of about 0.degree. C. to
about 150.degree. C., in one embodiment. In other embodiments, the
drying may be carried out at room temperature to about 150.degree.
C. Through the drying process, a solvent may be evaporated and at
least one metal oxide precursor and/or at least one metal oxide may
be fixed on the surface of a carbon fiber. In another embodiment an
additional surfactant is used as described below. A surface of a
carbon fiber is coated with a solution containing at least one
metal oxide precursor and/or at least one metal oxide and the
additional surfactant. In one embodiment, at least a part of the
surfactant may be evaporated by the drying process.
[0023] In one embodiment, polycarbosilane melt may be provided to a
carbon fiber where at least one metal oxide precursor and/or at
least one metal oxide are/is provided. Polycarbosilane may be
prepared by a variety of common methods.
[0024] In one embodiment, examples of polycarbosilane may include a
polycarbosilane having a main chain of the following formula:
##STR00001##
where R1, R2 may include, independently of one another, H, hydroxy,
C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkoxy or phenyl; and n may
be an integer between 1 and 30.
[0025] In one embodiment, a softening temperature of
polycarbosilane may be above room temperature; for example from
about 50.degree. C. to about 300.degree. C. In view of
processability, the softening temperature may within the above
range. In some embodiments, a molecular weight of the
polycarbosilane may range from about 100 to about 50000. In other
embodiments, the molecular weight of the polycarbosilane may range
from about 200 to about 30000. In yet other embodiments, the
molecular weight of the polycarbosilane may range from about 200 to
about 20000, or may even range from about 1000 to about 10000 in
still other embodiments.
[0026] In one embodiment, a polycarbosilane melt may be formed by
heating at a temperature above a softening point. The melt may be
coated on the surface of a carbon fiber by a variety of common
methods such as, for example, dip coating, spray coating, and the
like. A carbon fiber whereon polycarbosilane is coated may be
obtained by coating a surface of a carbon fiber with
polycarbosilane melt, and cooling it below the polycarbosilane's
softening temperature.
[0027] In one embodiment, a fiber including metal oxide may be
obtained by heating a carbon fiber whereon metal oxide precursor
and/or metal oxide, polycarbosilane and the like are coated. The
heating may be carried out in air or other gas or gases, including
oxygen gas or combinations thereof. The heating may be carried out
at a temperature ranging from about 300.degree. C. to about
1500.degree. C.
[0028] In one embodiment, carbon in a carbon fiber may be oxidized
and eliminated from the fiber in the form of carbon dioxide by
heating. A metal oxide precursor may be oxidized to form metal
oxide on a surface of the fiber. Polycarbosilane may move to inside
of the fiber and space between metal oxides (or metal oxide
precursors) during heating. Polycarbosilane may be oxidized, to
form silica (silicon dioxide).
[0029] In one embodiment, a fiber prepared by heating may include
silica and metal oxide. The fiber may include a silica phase formed
in a core of the fiber, and a metal oxide phase formed on a surface
of the fiber. In some embodiments, the fiber may include oxide of
metal such as Ti, Zn, Al, Y, Li, B, Na, Ba, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co,
Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, W, Pt, Au, Ce or any
combination thereof.
[0030] In one embodiment, titanium oxide may be formed on a surface
of a fiber by using a titanium oxide precursor as a metal oxide
precursor.
[0031] In one embodiment, titanium oxide may be used as
photocatalyst decompose organic materials (e.g., see Nature, vol.
238 (1972), 37-38) by exposing titanium oxide to light. Thus,
titanium oxide embodiments may be used to decompose source
materials of air pollution, water pollution and the like.
[0032] In some embodiments, titanium oxide on the fibers may
include at least some portions having a crystalline structure such
as anatase-type, rutile-type, brookite-type and the like. In some
embodiments, titanium oxide of the anatase-type may be used to
facilitate the photocatalytic effect.
[0033] In one embodiment, titanium oxide may be used as a
photocatalyst by illuminating the titanium oxide with ultraviolet
light (e.g., the UV light may have wavelength(s) of about 400 nm or
less). In other embodiments, a metal oxide precursor other than a
titanium oxide precursor may be used to form metal oxide on the
surface of a fiber to activate photocatalytic action absorbing
visible light. These other metal oxide precursors may form undoped
metal oxide in some embodiments. In other embodiments, metal oxide
precursors that form doped metal oxide may be used.
[0034] In some embodiments, in addition to titanium oxide, metal
oxide capable of effecting photocatalytic activity by itself (for
example, V.sub.2O.sub.3, ZnO, ZrO.sub.2, SnO, WO, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3,
etc.) may be formed on a surface of a fiber. Photocatalytic effect
may me increased by combining at least one metal oxide (other than
titanium oxide) having photocatalytic activity with titanium
oxide.
[0035] In one embodiment, a diameter of the fiber may be about 1 mm
or less. In other embodiments, the fiber diameter may be about 100
.mu.m or less. In yet other embodiments, the fiber diameter may be
about 10 .mu.m or less, or even about 1 .mu.m or less in still
other embodiments. In some embodiments, a thickness of the fiber
(which may include coatings of silica and/or metal oxide) may be
adjusted by adjusting by controlling a variety of features. For
example, the thickness may be adjusted by controlling a thickness
of a carbon fiber, an amount and type of polycarbosilane and/or
metal oxide precursor, the repeating number of coating, a method
and condition of heating and so on.
[0036] In one embodiment, metal oxide may be chemically intimately
bonded to a support (i.e., a silica phase) in the fiber. For
example, the fiber may be prepared as described above where metal
oxide is formed on a surface of a silica phase. Thus, the fiber may
reduce detachment of metal oxide particles from a support, compared
to a fiber prepared by conventional methods (e.g., where metal
oxide in the form of powder is coated on a surface of a support
such as silica, metal and the like, or metal oxide is coated on a
surface of a support by sol-gel method). In addition, a silica
phase may be transparent, and thus photocatalyst may be increased
by allowing the light to reach the metal oxide. For example, where
titanium oxide formed on a surface of a support made from
UV-transparent silica can improve the photocatalyst effect of the
titanium oxide.
[0037] In one embodiment, a solution containing at least one metal
oxide precursor and/or at least one metal oxide may further contain
a surfactant. Various surfactants may be employed in various
embodiments. Examples of surfactants may include nonionic or
cationic surfactants as described below.
[0038] In some embodiments, nonionic surfactants may include
polyoxyethylene-type nonionic surfactant, polyglycerin-type
nonionic surfactant, sugar ester-type nonionic surfactant and the
like. In other embodiments, nonionic surfactants may be used alone
or in mixtures with other surfactants.
[0039] In some embodiments, polyoxyethylene-type nonionic
surfactant may include polyoxyethylene alkylether, polyoxyethylene
alkylphenylether, polyoxyethylene.cndot.polyoxypropylene
alkylether, polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene
sorbitan fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid
ester, derivatives of polyoxyethylene castor oil or hard castor
oil, derivatives of polyoxyethylene wax.cndot.lanolin, alkanol
amide, polyoxyethylene propylene glycol fatty acid ester,
polyoxyethylene alkylamine, polyoxyethylene fatty acid amide, sugar
fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, polyether modified
silicon and the like. In some embodiments, polyoxyethylene-type
nonionic surfactants may include polyoxyethylene cholesterolether,
polyoxyethylene phytosterolether. Such nonionic surfactants may be
used alone or in mixtures with other surfactants.
[0040] In embodiments, the alkyl group in polyoxyethylene non-ionic
surfactants may be an alkyl group of saturated or unsaturated fatty
acid having C.sub.6.about.C.sub.22. For example, the alkyl group
may be a fatty acid of a single composition such as lauric acid,
myristic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, etc. In addition, the
alkyl group may be a mixed fatty acid such as coconut fatty acid,
tallow fatty acid, hydrogenated tallow fatty acid, castor oil fatty
acid, olive oil fatty acid, palm oil fatty acid, etc., or
synthesized fatty acid (including branched fatty acid). In some
embodiments, polyoxyethylene non-ionic surfactant may be, for
example, C.sub.12H.sub.25(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.10OH known as
C.sub.12EO.sub.10 or 10 lauryl ether;
C.sub.16H.sub.33(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.10OH known as
C.sub.16EO.sub.10 or 10 cetyl ether;
C.sub.18H.sub.37(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.10OH known as
C.sub.18E0.sub.10 or 10 stearyl ether;
C.sub.12H.sub.25(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.4OH known as
C.sub.12EO.sub.4 or 4 lauryl ether;
C.sub.16H.sub.33(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.2OH known as
C.sub.16EO.sub.2 or 2 cetyl ether; or combinations thereof. In some
other embodiments, polyoxyethylene(5)nonylphenyl ether (Product
Name: Igepal CO-520) may be used.
[0041] In another embodiment, fluoroalkyl groups substituting
hydrogen with any number of fluorine may be used as an alkyl group.
In a polyoxyethylene non-ionic surfactant, the number of
condensations of polyoxyethylene may be within the range of
1.about.50.
[0042] In one embodiment, nonionic surfactants may include ethylene
oxide/propylene oxide block copolymer.
[0043] Examples of block copolymer may include two-block compound
such as poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propyleneoxide), and
three-block compound such as poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene
oxide)-polyethylene oxide or poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene
oxide)-poly(propylene oxide). Examples of block copolymer
surfactants may include, for example, Pluronic.RTM. product name:
P123 [poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene
oxide); EO.sub.20P.sub.70EO.sub.20], P103, 10R5, F98, 25R4, 17R4
that may be obtained from BASF Corporation.
[0044] In other embodiments, surfactants may include C.sub.6-20
alkyl amine (RNH.sub.2) surfactants, for example, oleylamine,
octylamine, hexadecylamine, octadecylamine.
[0045] In other embodiments, various amounts of surfactants may be
employed. An amount of surfactant may range from about 0.1 to about
10 part by weight based on a solvent of 100 part by weight in some
embodiments. In other embodiments, the amount of surfactant may
range from about 1 to about 5 part by weight based on a solvent of
about 100 part by weight. In still other embodiments, the amount of
surfactant may range from about 3 to about 5 part by weight based
on a solvent of 100 part by weight.
[0046] In some embodiments, the surfactant may have a molar ratio
of at least metal oxide precursor and/or at least metal oxide
surfactants ranging from about 40:1 to about 80:1.
[0047] In some embodiments, a mesoporous metal oxide phase
surfactant may be formed. In some embodiments, a size of metal
oxide formed on a surface of a fiber may be uniform.
[0048] In one embodiment, a pore of the metal oxide phase may have
a diameter ranging from about 50 nm or less. In other embodiments,
a pore of the metal oxide phase may have a diameter ranging from
about 1 nm to about 50 nm. In yet other embodiment, a pore of the
metal oxide phase may have a diameter ranging from about 2 nm to
about 50 nm. In yet other embodiments, the metal oxide has pores
sized such that the metal oxide has an effective surface area
ranging from about 200 m.sup.2/g to about 3000 m.sup.2/g.
[0049] In some embodiments, a fiber may be processed in the form of
fiber bundles, bulky fibers, woven fabric, non-woven fabric,
braided fabric, paper, felt and the like. In other embodiments, a
fabric pad may be prepared from the fiber using common methods.
[0050] In one embodiment, when a fiber or a fabric pad includes
metal oxide capable of photocatalytic activity, the fiber or the
fabric pad may be used for decomposing organic materials that may
cause air pollution and/or water pollution (e.g., livestock farming
waste water, various endocrine disrupters, and the like). In
another embodiment, the fiber or the fabric pad may be used as an
electric wire. Such embodiments use properties of the metal oxide
other than photocatalytic activity. In some embodiments, the fiber
or fabric pad uses, for example, gas sensor, electron conductivity
properties of the metal oxide.
An Apparatus Including A Fabric Pad
[0051] In some embodiments, an apparatus may include at least one
fabric pad prepared from the fiber prepared as described above; and
at least one device for fixing the fabric pad.
[0052] In one embodiment, a device for fixing the fabric pad may
include a variety of shapes, such as propeller, plate, sheet,
cylinder, and sphere. In other embodiments different shapes may be
used. A fabric pad may be prepared in order to fit an external
shape of a device for fixing the fabric pad.
[0053] In an illustrative embodiment as shown in FIG. 2, a device
for fixing the fabric pad may include a propeller 202. A fabric pad
may be prepared in the shape of the wing of the propeller by
processing the fiber as described above. Then, the fabric pad 201
may be fixed outside of the wing of propeller 202 to form a
propeller having a fabric pad 203.
[0054] In one embodiment, a fabric pad may be fixed by simple
operation such as fitting or tying the fabric pad to the outside of
a fixed device, not by physically or chemically bonding the fabric
pad to the outside of the fixed device. Thus, a fabric pad may be
easily detached from and reattached to the fixed device. For
example, an old fabric pad may be easily removed and replaced with
a new one from a device for fixing the pad, when the catalytic
activity of metal oxide included in a fiber of a fabric pad is
decreased by aging and the like. Further, a fabric pad may be used
without any limitation in the shape of a catalyst reactor, or
material thereof, since the fabric pad may be manufactured in
various shapes.
[0055] In some embodiments, an apparatus may optionally include at
least one equipment where a device having a fabric pad is placed in
the equipment. For example, an apparatus may include an equipment
306 where a propeller having a fabric pad 305 is placed in the
equipment 306, as shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, a propeller having a
fabric pad 305 may be rotated to circulate air, water and the like
in equipment 306. As the propeller is rotated, organic materials
may contact a surface of the fabric pad. The speed of rotation may
be adjusted to control the rate at which the organic materials
contact the fabric. Examples of the equipment 306 may include a
water reservoir, a water tank, a water bottle, a location around a
source of air pollution and the like. In other embodiments, an
apparatus including the equipment may include one or more devices
having a fabric pad to increase photocatalytic activity.
[0056] In one embodiment, an apparatus may optionally include at
least one source of light. For example, an apparatus may include a
source of light 301 where light 302 may be emitted, as shown in
FIG. 2. The light 302 emitted from the source of light 301 may
illuminate a device having a fabric pad to decompose organic
materials on a surface of metal oxide (such as titanium oxide)
acting as photocatalyst. Examples of the source of light 301 may
include an artificial source of light such as a fluorescent lamp, a
glow lamp, an UV lamp, and the like), as well as a natural source
of light such as the sun.
[0057] In one embodiment, an apparatus may optionally include at
least one light-collecting device. For example, an apparatus may
include a light-collecting device 303 where the light 302 from the
source of light 301 may be collected to emit light 304. The
light-collecting device may increase the photocatalytic effect of
metal oxide by focusing the light 302 emitted from the source of
light 301 to form collected light 304. Examples of the
light-collecting device may include a lens, a mirror, a reflector
and any combination thereof; however, claimed subject matter is not
limited in this regard. In other embodiment, multiple
light-collecting devices may be placed in series to concentrate
more light.
EXAMPLE
[0058] 4.3 g of titanium isopropoxide and 3.12 g of HCl (35 wt %;
for adjusting pH) may be mixed and stirred for 5 minutes at room
temperature. Then, the stirred mixture may be added to a solution
of 2 g of Pluronic.RTM. P123 in 12 g of 1-propanol. The mixed
solution may be stirred for 10 minutes at room temperature. A woven
carbon fiber whose specific surface area may be about 3000
m.sup.2/g and diameter may be about 1.about.5 .mu.m, may be
immersed in said solution and taken out, and the carbon fiber may
be dried for one day at room temperature.
[0059] The carbon fiber whereon titanium butoxide may be coated,
may be immersed in a melt where polycarbosilane powder (e.g.,
obtained from Nippon Carbon Co., Ltd.) may be heated and melted at
a temperature of about 200.degree. C. The Carbon fiber can be
removed from the melt and dried at room temperature to form a
polycarbosiline coated fiber.
[0060] Further, a fiber including silica and titanium oxide may be
obtained by heating the carbon fiber at a temperature of about
900.degree. C. under the atmosphere containing oxygen gas in a
furnace.
[0061] The foregoing detailed description has set forth various
embodiments of the devices and/or processes via the use of block
diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples. Insofar as such block
diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples contain one or more functions
and/or operations, it will be understood by those within the art
that each function and/or operation within such block diagrams,
flowcharts, or examples can be implemented, individually and/or
collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or
virtually any combination thereof. In one embodiment, several
portions of the subject matter described herein may be implemented
via Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field
Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs),
or other integrated formats. However, those skilled in the art will
recognize that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, in
whole or in part, can be equivalently implemented in integrated
circuits, as one or more computer programs running on one or more
computers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more
computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more
processors (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more
microprocessors), as firmware, or as virtually any combination
thereof, and that designing the circuitry and/or writing the code
for the software and or firmware would be well within the skill of
one of skill in the art in light of this disclosure. In addition,
those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the
subject matter described herein are capable of being distributed as
a program product in a variety of forms, and that an illustrative
embodiment of the subject matter described herein applies
regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium used to
actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearing
medium include, but are not limited to, the following: a recordable
type medium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a Compact
Disc (CD), a Digital Video Disk (DVD), a digital tape, a computer
memory, etc.; and a transmission type medium such as a digital
and/or an analog communication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a
waveguide, a wired communications link, a wireless communication
link, etc.).
[0062] Those skilled in the art will recognize that it is common
within the art to describe devices and/or processes in the fashion
set forth herein, and thereafter use engineering practices to
integrate such described devices and/or processes into data
processing systems. That is, at least a portion of the devices
and/or processes described herein can be integrated into a data
processing system via a reasonable amount of experimentation. Those
having skill in the art will recognize that a typical data
processing system generally includes one or more of a system unit
housing, a video display device, a memory such as volatile and
non-volatile memory, processors such as microprocessors and digital
signal processors, computational entities such as operating
systems, drivers, graphical user interfaces, and applications
programs, one or more interaction devices, such as a touch pad or
screen, and/or control systems including feedback loops and control
motors (e.g., feedback for sensing position and/or velocity;
control motors for moving and/or adjusting components and/or
quantities). A typical data processing system may be implemented
utilizing any suitable commercially available components, such as
those typically found in data computing/communication and/or
network computing/communication systems.
[0063] The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates
different components contained within, or connected with, different
other components. It is to be understood that such depicted
architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other
architectures can be implemented which achieve the same
functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components
to achieve the same functionality is effectively "associated" such
that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two
components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality
can be seen as "associated with" each other such that the desired
functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or
intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated
can also be viewed as being "operably connected", or "operably
coupled", to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and
any two components capable of being so associated can also be
viewed as being "operably couplable", to each other to achieve the
desired functionality. Specific examples of operably couplable
include but are not limited to physically mateable and/or
physically interacting components and/or wirelessly interactable
and/or wirelessly interacting components and/or logically
interacting and/or logically interactable components.
[0064] With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or
singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate
from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the
plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The
various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth
herein for sake of clarity.
[0065] It will be understood by those within the art that, in
general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims
(e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as
"open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as
"including but not limited to," the term "having" should be
interpreted as "having at least," the term "includes" should be
interpreted as "includes but is not limited to," etc.). It will be
further understood by those within the art that if a specific
number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an
intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence
of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an
aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain
usage of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more"
to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases
should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim
recitation by the indefinite articles "a" or "an" limits any
particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to
inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same
claim includes the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least
one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and/or
"an" should typically be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one
or more"); the same holds true for the use of definite articles
used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a
specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly
recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such
recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the
recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of "two recitations,"
without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations,
or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where
a convention analogous to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is
used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one
having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., "a
system having at least one of A, B, and C" would include but not be
limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B
together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C
together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to
"at least one of A, B, or C, etc." is used, in general such a
construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art
would understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least
one of A, B, or C" would include but not be limited to systems that
have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together,
B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be
further understood by those within the art that virtually any
disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative
terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be
understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the
terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase
"A or B" will be understood to include the possibilities of "A" or
"B" or "A and B."
[0066] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various
embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein
for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be
made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present
disclosure. Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein
are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit
being indicated by the following claims.
* * * * *