Catalyst – solid sorbent – or support therefor: product or process – Catalyst or precursor therefor – Organic compound containing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-28
2001-05-08
Bell, Mark L. (Department: 1755)
Catalyst, solid sorbent, or support therefor: product or process
Catalyst or precursor therefor
Organic compound containing
C502S345000, C502S350000, C502S527120, C502S527130, C428S325000, C428S428000, C428S432000, C428S446000, C428S447000, C428S448000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06228796
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an organic-inorganic hybrid material, a surface of which is supplied with a layer having photo-catalysis, and process for preparing the material. The organic-inorganic hybrid material shows excellent photo-catalysis functions such as deodorizing, bleaching, antifouling, anti-bacterial, and/or sanitizing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Titanium oxide is the material having photo-catalysis. The photo-catalysis means that an active oxygen fragment such as OH radical and the like is formed on a surface of the titanium oxide when it is irradiated by light. The active oxygen fragment decomposes an organic substance present on the surface of the titanium oxide, and finally converts it into carbon dioxide and water. Therefore, the titanium oxide has recently been employed for removing organic substances present therearound such as odor, stain, fungus and the like.
The titanium oxide has generally been supported on a surface of an inorganic material such as tiles because the photo-catalysis of the titanium oxide is very active, and an organic material may be degraded remarkably if the organic material is brought into contact with the titanium oxide. If the titanium oxide is supported on an organic material, durability of the resulting material may become poor.
On the other hand, an organic material such as plastics and fibers is light-weight, easy to shape, and easy to handle. There is thus general needs for the material having photo-catalysis which is supported on an organic substrate.
Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 171408/1995, and 265714/1995 disclose the method of employing an undecomposable resin such as a fluororesin and a silicone resin as a binder. Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 157125/1991, and 213913/1995 disclose the method in which fine particles of titanium oxide is supported on a porous organic body. However, the titanium oxide directly contacts with an organic material such as a binder resin or a substrate even in the methods, and degradation of the material is not sufficiently prevented.
Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 33988/1998 discloses the method in which titanium oxide particles are partially coated by alkyl silicate, and they are supported on an organic substrate. However, the photo-catalysis of the resulting material is poor because of a large amount of the alkyl silicate. Whereas, if the amount of the added alkyl silicate is reduced, contact area between the titanium oxide and the organic substrate becomes large, and durability of the resulting material becomes poor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is made to provide an organic-inorganic hybrid material, a surface of which is supplied with a layer having photo-catalysis, without photo-degradation of the substrate.
The present invention provides an organic-inorganic hybrid material comprising a substrate, an intermediate layer and a photo-catalysis layer which are sequentially formed on a surface of the substrate wherein, the intermediate layer is composed of an organic-inorganic hybrid polymer material in which an organic polymer component and a metal oxide component are covalently bonded each other, which is obtained by hydrolyzing and polycondensing a solution or a wet gel which comprises an organic polymer having an alkoxymetal group as a functional group or an organic polymer having a functional group reactable with a metal alkoxide compound, and a metal alkoxide compound, and the photo-catalysis layer is composed of metal oxides having photo-catalysis.
The organic-inorganic hybrid material may generally be prepared by the process comprising the steps of:
(i) providing a substrate having a surface;
(ii) applying a solution or a wet gel which comprises an organic polymer having an alkoxymetal group as a functional group or an organic polymer having a functional group reactable with a metal alkoxide compound, and a metal alkoxide compound on the surface of the substrate to form an intermediate layer;
(iii) forming a photo-catalysis layer which is composed of metal oxides having photo-catalysis on the surface of the intermediate layer.
Further, the present invention provides the organic-inorganic hybrid material which is excellent in mechanical strength, heat resistance, dimension stability, and chemical resistance.
That is, the present invention provides an organic-inorganic hybrid material comprising a substrate, an intermediate layer and a photo-catalysis layer which are sequentially formed on a surface of the substrate wherein,
the intermediate layer is composed of an organic-inorganic hybrid component-gradient polymer material in which an organic polymer component and a metal oxide component are covalently bonded each other, and content of the metal oxide component is increased from the substrate in the direction of the photo-catalysis layer, and
the photo-catalysis layer is composed of metal oxides having photo-catalysis.
The organic-inorganic hybrid material may generally be prepared by the process comprising the steps of:
(i) providing a substrate having a surface;
(ii) applying a solution or a wet gel which comprises an organic polymer having an alkoxymetal group as a functional group or an organic polymer having a functional group reactable with a metal alkoxide compound, and a metal alkoxide compound on the surface of the substrate to form a coated layer;
(iii) altering a compositional ratio of the solution or the wet gel so that content of the metal oxide component is increased, and applying it thereon;
(iv) repeating step (iii) at least one time to form the intermediate layer;
(v) forming a photo-catalysis layer which is composed of metal oxides having photo-catalysis on the surface of the intermediate layer.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4112171 (1978-09-01), Motter et al.
patent: 4977013 (1990-12-01), Ritchie et al.
patent: 5474827 (1995-12-01), Crandall et al.
patent: 5853866 (1998-12-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5869187 (1999-02-01), Nakamura et al.
patent: 5961843 (1999-10-01), Hayakawa et al.
patent: 6048910 (2000-04-01), Furuya et al.
patent: 6103854 (2000-08-01), Arakawa et al.
Agari Yasuyuki
Arakawa Motoomi
Shimada Masayuki
Sukata Kazuaki
Bell Mark L.
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Hailey Patricia L.
Orient Chemical Industries Ltd.
LandOfFree
Organic-inorganic hybrid materials and processes for... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Organic-inorganic hybrid materials and processes for..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Organic-inorganic hybrid materials and processes for... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2556750