Production of luminescence

• US 3,925,235 A
• Filed: 10/30/1972
• Issued: 12/09/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vin-Jang Lee
• Original Assignee: Vin-Jang Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Vin-Jang
• Primary Examiner(s): Lechert, Jr., Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US05/302,359
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 252/188.3R,188.3CL,31.4R,31.4F,31.6F
• US Class Current: 252/700
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 2/06 using chemiluminescence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for continuous production of luminescence. A steady state heterogeneous charge transfer chemical reaction is carried out on the surface of a solid state catalyst, such as an oxide semiconductor, at temperatures substantially below the temperature of incandescence of the catalytic material. Chemical energy is directly converted to light energy to provide continuous luminescence, which may be used at a position spaced from the solid state catalyst region where the luminescence is produced, e.g., for lasing, process monitoring, characterization of the activity and active sites of a catalyst, etc.

Claims

1. A PROCESS FOR CONTINUOUSLY PRODUCING LUMINESCENCE COMPRISING CARRYING OUT A HETEROGENEOUS EXOTHERMIC CHARGE TRANSFER CHEMICAL REACTION OF AT LEAST ONE REACTANT IN A FLUID PHASE ON THE SURFACE OF A SOLID STATE CATALYST AT TEMPERATURES SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE TEMPERATURE OF INCANDESCENCE OF THE CATALYST WHEREIN CHEMICAL ENERGY IS DIRECTLY CONVERTED INTO LIGHT ENERGY CONTINUOUSLY TO PRODUCE LUMINESCENCEM AND UNTILIZING THE LUMINESCENCE THUS PRODUCED AT A POSITION SPACED FROM THE SOLID STATE CATALYTIC SURFACE WHERE THE LUMINESCENCE IS PRODUCED.

2. A process as set forth in claim 1 in which said solid state catalyst is a semiconductor material.

3. A process as set forth in claim 2 in which said reaction is an oxidation reaction.