Titanium oxide particle-coated interior member or indoor equipment

• US 6,414,213 B2
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Showa Denko KK
• Original Assignee: Showa Denko KK
• Inventors: Nakamura, Hidenori, Ohmori, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Steven P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Strickland, Jonas N.
• Application Number:
  US09/475,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20020006866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 423/210, 423/245.1, 423/245.3, 423/239.1, 204/247, 204/157.44, 204/157.63, 588/227
• US Class Current: 588/309
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/02 Altars; Religious shrines; Fonts for holy water; Crucifixes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/30 characterised by their physical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/39 Photocatalytic properties
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/60 Optical properties, e.g. expressed in CIELAB-values
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/00 Stairways, ramps, or like structures mounting or marking-off stairways E04F21/26; of temporary use during building construction E04G27/00; means for facilitating access to swimming pools E04H4/144; means for facilitating access to swimming pools E04H4/144; appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00; Balustrades; Handrails ladders permanently attached to fixed structures E06C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/00 Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings flooring E04F15/00; decoration of surfaces, mosaic work B44, e.g. paper-hanging B44C7/00; made of webs, e.g. of fabrics or wallpaper , as such, or their manufacturing D03D, D04G, D04H, D06N, D21H; construction of false ceilings E04B9/00; roofings or similar water-tight coverings against precipitation E04D
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 19/00 Other details of constructional parts for finishing work on buildings ladders, e.g. climbing irons, E06C9/04
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/167 using catalytic reactions

Abstract

An interior member or indoor equipment provided on the surface with titanium oxide particles capable of excellent photocatalytic activity even by irradiation of a weak ultraviolet ray present in an interior room or the like. An interior member or indoor equipment with titanium oxide particles containing brookite-type crystal present on the surface thereof. The titanium oxide particles may also be bonded to the surface using an adhesive. The interior member or indoor equipment exhibits a photocatalytic function upon irradiation of a weak ultraviolet ray having irradiation energy of from 0.001 to 0.2 mW/cm² at 365 nm.

Claims

1. An interior member or indoor equipment with titanium oxide particles containing brookite crystal present on the surface thereof, wherein the titanium oxide particles have (i) an average particle size of from 0.005 to 0.1 μ

m and (ii) a photocatalytic function upon irradiation of an ultraviolet ray having an irradiation energy of from 0.001 to 0.2 mW/cm² at a wavelength of 365 nm, and the brookite crystal is present in an amount of from 10 to 100 wt %, based on the total weight of the titanium dioxide particles.

2. The interior member or indoor equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the titanium oxide particles are obtained from a titanium oxide sol produced by:

i) adding titanium tetrachloride to hot water at a temperature of from 75°

C. to 100°

C. and then

ii) hydrolyzing at a temperature of from 75°

C. to the boiling point of the solution while controlling the chloride ion concentration.

3. The interior member or indoor equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interior member or indoor equipment is capable of decomposing an organic material or nitrogen oxide upon irradiation of an ultraviolet ray having an irradiation energy of from 0.001 to 0.2 mW/cm² at a wavelength of 365 nm.

4. A method of using the interior member or indoor equipment of claim 1, the method comprising irradiating the titanium oxide particles under the conditions of an ultraviolet ray having an irradiation energy of from 0.001 to 0.2 mW/cm² at a wavelength of 365 nm.

5. An interior member or indoor equipment with titanium oxide particles containing brookite crystal adhered on the surface thereof using an adhesive, wherein the titanium oxide particles have (i) an average particle size of from 0.005 to 0.1 μ

m and (ii) a photocatalytic function upon irradiation of an ultravolet ray having an irradiation energy of from 0.0001 to 0.2 mW/cm² at a wavelength of 365 nm, and the brookite crystal is present in an amount of from 10 to 100 wt %, based on the total weight of the titanium dioxide particles.

6. The interior member or indoor equipment as claimed in claim 5, wherein the titanium oxide particles are obtained from a titanium oxide sol produced by:

i) adding titanium tetrachloride to hot water at a temperature of from 75°

C. to 100°

C. and then

ii) hydrolyzing at a temperature of from 75°

C. to the boiling point of the solution while controlling the chloride ion concentration.

7. The interior member or indoor equipment as claimed in claim 5, wherein the interior member or indoor equipment is capable of decomposing an organic material or nitrogen oxide upon irradiation of an ultraviolet ray having an irradiation energy of from 0.001 to 0.2 mW/cm² at a wavelength of 365 nm.

8. A method of using the interior member or indoor equipment of claim 5, the method comprising irradiating the titanium oxide particles under the conditions of an ultraviolet ray having an irradiation energy of from 0.001 to 0.2 mW/cm² at a wavelength of 365 nm.

9. A method of using titanium oxide particles containing brookite crystal, the method consisting of irradiating the particles under the conditions of an ultraviolet ray having an irradiation energy of from 0.001 to 0.2 mW/cm² at a wavelength of 365 nm, wherein the titanium oxide particles have (i) an average particle size of from 0.005 to 0.1 μ

m and (ii) a photocatalytic function upon irradiation of the ultraviolet ray, and the brookite crystal is present in an amount of from 10 to 100 wt %, based on the total weight of the titanium dioxide particles.