Toto Ltd.

Fujitsu Corporation

Shin-etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.

The University of Tokyo

Toudai Tlo, Ltd.

Toto Co., Ltd.

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

Toshiya Watanabe

Makoto Hayakawa

Eiichi Kojima

Makoto Chikuni

Keiichiro Norimoto

Mitsuyoshi Machida

Atsushi Kitamura

Akira Fujishima

Kazuhito Hashimoto

Tamon Kimura

Yoshimitsu Saeki

Tatsuhiko Kuga

Yasushi Nakashima

Tetsuo Kitabayashi

Masato Wakamura

Akira Yamamoto

Mitsuhide Shimohigoshi

Naoya Yoshida

Atushi Kitamura

Masaaki Yamaya

Hironao Fujiki

Tsuneo Kimura

Masahiro Furuya

Mitsuyoshi Kanno

Yasuo Naganuma

Akira Nakajima

Hisashi Ohsaki

Yuji Aso

Kenji Shinohara

Yoshihide Hayashida

Tadashi Serikawa

Koji Fukuhisa

Masato c/o Fujitsu Limited Wakamura

Akira c/o Adv Systems Of Technology Nakajima

Koji c/o Advanced Systems Of Technology Fukuhisa

Kenji c/o Adv Systems Of Technology Shinohara

The present invention relates to apatite that includes metal atoms having a photocatalytic function and other metal atoms, and the metal atoms having a photocatalytic function include metal atoms that absorb energy corresponding to light energy of visible light. By applying the apatite as a base material of various products to be arranged indoors, the photocatalytic function can be exhibited indoors as well.

Apatite and method for producing the same, and apatite base material

An apatite-containing film having photocatalytic activity is produced by a process comprising the steps of preparing a liquid mixture comprising a Ca-containing compound and a P-containing compound, subjecting the liquid mixture to reaction to prepare an apatite-precursor composition, applying the apatite-precursor composition to a substrate, and drying the applied apatite-precursor composition. The process may further comprise a heating step after the drying step. The apatite-precursor composition is preferably in the form of a sol.

Apatite-containing film having photocatalytic activity and a process for producing it

A method of preventing or reducing fogging of a surface of a composite when subjected to humid conditions includes providing a composite with a surface. The composite includes a substrate and a photocatalytic surface layer. The photocatalytic surface layer includes a photocatalyst. The method further includes subjecting the photocatalyst to photoexcitation to render the surface of the composite hydrophilic, wherein, after the photoexcitation, the surface of the composite has a water wettability of less than 10&#xb0; in terms of the contact angle with water. The method further includes subjecting the composite to humidity that is sufficient to induce fogging of the substrate if the photocatalytic surface layer were absent.

Method for photocatalytically rendering a surface of a substrate superhydrophilic, a substrate with superhydrophilic photocatalytic surface, and method of making thereof

The present invention provides a method for producing a crystalline metal oxide thin film by first depositing a substantially amorphous metal oxide film, and thereafter, as a post treatment, exposing the film to low temperature plasma in a high frequency electric field at 180&#xb0; C. or less, and the crystalline metal oxide thin film produced by this method. Because the producing method according to the present invention allows a dense and homogenous crystalline metal oxide thin film to be formed onto a substrate at a low temperature without requiring active heat treatment, a metal oxide thin film having desirable characteristics can be formed without damaging the characteristics of a substrate even if the substrate has comparatively low heat resistance.

Thin metal oxide film and process for producing the same

The surface of a substrate is coated with an abrasion-resistant photocatalytic coating comprised of a semiconductor photocatalyst. upon irradiation by a light having a wavelength of an energy higher than the bandgap energy of the photocatalyst, water is chemisorbed onto the surface in the form of hydroxyl groups (OH ) whereby the surface of the photocatalytic coating is rendered highly hydrophilic. In certain embodiments, the surface of a mirror, lens, or windowpane is coated with the photocatalytic coating to exhibit a high degree of antifogging function. In another embodiment, an article or product coated with the photocatalytic coating is disposed outdoors and the highly hydrophilic surface thereof is self-cleaned as it is subjected to rainfall. In a still another embodiment, an article is coated with the photocatalytic coating and, when the article is soaked in, rinsed by or wetted with water, fatty dirt and contaminants are readily released without resort to a detergent.

Method for photocatalytically rendering a surface of a substrate superhydrophilic, a substrate with a superhydrophilic photocatalytic surface, and method of making thereof

A method for highly hydrophilifying the surface of an article by photoexcitation of a semiconductor photocatalyst and maintaining the hydrophilicity is disclosed. A layer containing a photocatalyst is formed on a substrate. Onto the surface of the layer are fixed a hydroxyl group upon photoexcitation of the photocatalyst and a physically adsorbed water molecule in the vicinity of the hydroxyl group upon photoexcitation of the photocatalyst. Thus, the surface is highly hydrophilified. Further, this surface, simultaneously with the hydrophilification, exhibits higher hydrophobicity.

Photocatalytically hydrophilifying and hydrophobifying material

Disclosed is a member having an antifouling surface on which the so-called &ldquo;stains,&rdquo; such as deposits and contaminants, are less likely to be deposited. The surface of the member has both a hydrophobic portion, and a hydrophilic portion induced by a photocatalyst, the hydrophobic portion and the hydrophilic portion being present in a microscopically dispersed and exposed state on the surface. More specifically, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a member comprising: a substrate; and a surface layer provided on the substrate, the surface layer comprising a photocatalytic oxide, a silicone resin or silica, and a water-repellent fluororesin, the silicone or silica and the water-repellent fluororesin being present in a microscopically dispersed and exposed state on the outermost surface of the surface layer. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a member comprising: a substrate; and a surface layer provided on the substrate, the surface layer comprising a hydrophobic resin and a photocatalytic oxide, the hydrophobic resin and the photocatalytic oxide being present in a microscopically dispersed and exposed state on the outermost surface of the surface layer, the photocatalytic oxide being self-hydrophilified or functioning to hydrophilify the photocatalytic oxide still remaining unhydrophilified present around the photocatalytic oxide by photocatalytic action created in response to photoexcitation. In this surface where the hydrophobic portion and the hydrophilic portion are present adjacent to each other, a hydrophilic deposit having affinity for the hydrophilic portion does not have affinity for the adjacent water-repellent portion. On the other hand, a hydrophobic deposit having affinity for the hydrophobic portion does not have affinity for the adjacent hydrophilic portion. Therefore, both the hydrophilic deposit and the hydrophobic deposit cannot be deposited on the surface of the member, and, even when deposited on the surface of the member, are unstable and hence are easily removed, permitting the surface of the member to be kept clean.

Antifouling member and antifouling coating composition

Multi-functional materials which have a photocatalytic layer with a photocatalytic function disposed on the surface of a base through a binder layer,interposed therebetween. Photocatalytic particles of the photocatalytic layer are joined together by a surface energy or solid-state sintering. The photocatalytic layer may have a structure in which fine particles fill interstices defined between photocatalytic particles or a structure in which no fine particles fill interstices defined between photocatalytic particles. A metal such as Ag, Pt, or the like may be fixed or not fixed to surfaces of the photocatalytic particles.

Multi-functional material with photocatalytic functions and method of manufacturing same

Multi-functional materials are classified into those which have a photocatalytic layer with a photocatalytic function directly disposed on the surface of a base and those which have a photocatalytic layer with a photocatalytic function disposed on the surface of a base through a binder layer interposed therebetween. Photocatalytic particles of the photocatalytic layer are joined together by a surface energy or solid-state sintering. The photocatalytic layer has a structure in which fine particles fill interstices defined between photocatalytic particles. A metal such as Ag, Pt, or the like may be fixed or not fixed to surfaces of the photocatalytic particles.

Multi-functional materials which have a photocatalytic layer with a photocatalytic function disposed on the surface of a base through an amorphous binder layer,interposed therebetween. Photocatalytic particles of the photocatalytic layer are joined together by a surface energy or solid-state sintering. The photocatalytic layer may have a structure in which fine particles fill interstices defined between photocatalytic particles or a structure in which no fine particles fill interstices defined between photocatalytic particles. A metal such as Ag, Pt, or the like may be fixed or not fixed to surfaces of the photocatalytic particles. A lower layer of the photocatalytic layer is embedded in the binder layer such that an intermediate layer is formed between the binder layer and the photocatalytic layer, the intermediate layer including components of the binder and photocatalytic layers in varying concentrations therethrough.

Photocatalytic functional material and method for producing the same

A process for photocatalytically treating a hospital room contaminated by bacteria or an interior environment bearing airborne malodorous substances. A thin film of photocatalyst made of a semiconductor such as titanium dioxide is disposed on the inner wall of the hospital room or living space. The photocatalytic thin film is irradiated by a light source suitable for general lighting applications, such as a fluorescent lamp, and is photoexcited by the small amount of ultraviolet radiation included in the light of the fluorescent lamp. The wattage of the fluorescent lamp as well as the distance between the photocatalytic thin film and the lamp are selected such that the intensity of those UV wavelengths which have a higher energy than the band gap energy of the photo-catalyst is 0.001-1 mW/cm.sup.2, preferably, 0.01-0.1 mW/cm.sup.2. The bacteria and chemical compounds deposited on the photoexcited thin film are photodecomposed.

Photocatalytic air treatment process under room light

A method for hydrophilifying the surface of a substrate by taking advantage of photocatalytic action. The substrate has a photocatalytic titania coating (10). The surface of the photocatalytic coating (10) bears the solid acid that increases a hydrogen bond component (.gamma..sub.S.sup.h) in the surface energy in the solid/gas interface of the coating. Photoexcitation of the photocatalyst enhances the hydrogen bond component (.gamma..sub.S.sup.h) in the surface energy of the photocatalytic coating (10), accelerating the physical adsorption of molecules of water in the atmosphere through a hydrogen bond (16) onto hydrogen atoms in a terminal OH group (12), bonded to a titanium atom, and a bridge OH group (14) on the surface of the coating. This results in the formation of a high density, physically adsorbed water layer (18) on the surface of the photocatalytic coating (10), thus permitting the surface of the substrate to be easily hydrophilified. The method is applicable to antifogging, antifouling, selfcleaning and cleaning of articles.

Method for photocatalytically hydrophilifying surface and composite

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Kitakyushu, Japan

Toshiya Watanabe