Dirt removal method and dirt removal device

Abstract

To provide a contaminant removal method and a contaminant removal device which can selectively keep a surface of an object etc. clean while preventing contamination or remove contaminants adhering to the surface according to a type of each of various contaminants and can recover the removed contaminants easily.SOLUTION: A contaminant removal method includes: a step in which a gel solution stored in a container is prepared; a step in which the gel solution is transported from the container through a conduit tube; a step in which energy is applied to the transported gel solution in the conduit tube to generate a fibrous gel material; a step in which the fibrous gel material is separated from the transported gel solution in the conduit tube; a step in which the fibrous gel material is discharged from the conduit tube; a step in which contaminants are attached to the fibrous gel material; and a step in which the fibrous gel material to which the contaminants are attached is recovered.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a stain removal method and a stain removal device, and more particularly to a stain removal method and a stain removal device that can appropriately keep the surface of an object clean so that it does not get dirty depending on the type of stain, or remove stains that have adhered to the surface, and also easily recover the removed stains. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, coating technologies using photocatalytic materials such as titanium oxide and inert polyimides have been introduced and are being used as self-cleaning technologies for constantly keeping surfaces clean. These technologies neutralize organic pollutants, bacteria, viruses, mold, odorous substances, and dirt that adhere to the surface by irradiating the coated surface with ultraviolet light. However, these technologies are difficult to effectively remove macroscopic dirt such as dust, or extrinsic dirt that is difficult to decompose, requiring extensive manual cleaning or re-coating.

[0003] An example of a technique for removing dirt from the surface of an object is a method for using a detergent to remove dirt that adheres to areas where water is periodically flushed. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-111699 discloses a technique in which a gelled detergent stored in a container in liquid form is applied to a desired location and then water is poured on it to gel it, thereby causing it to adhere to the location, or the detergent is applied to a desired location that has been wetted with water and then gelled, causing it to adhere to the location.

[0004] Furthermore, an example of a technique for protecting the surface of a structure or the like and removing dirt involves the use of a peelable coating composition. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-160867 discloses a method for using a peelable coating composition, which comprises applying a peelable coating composition containing a water dispersion of a lactic acid-based polymer and a plasticizer in a predetermined ratio to the surface of a substrate to form a peelable coating, and then removing dirt and / or graffiti on the coating together with the peelable coating.

[0005] Furthermore, an example of a technology for removing dirt adhering to the surface of an article having a flat surface is one that uses an adhesive cleaner. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-144023 discloses an adhesive cleaner for removing organic dirt that is used to remove organic dirt adhering to the surface of an article having a flat surface, and that includes a dirt capture part that captures organic dirt by contacting the flat surface, and the part of the dirt capture part that comes into contact with the surface is made of an adhesive and exhibits a predetermined adhesive strength.

[0006] Another example of a technique for wiping and cleaning uneven or curved parts is the use of a cleaning mop. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-298650 discloses a cleaning mop characterized in that a brush is formed by densely packing a large number of heat-sealable fibers or heat-sealable strip-shaped films, the fibers or strip-shaped films are heat-sealed to a base sheet, and the thickness of the fibers or strip-shaped films varies from the outer layer to the inner layer of the brush.

[0007] However, although these conventional techniques can remove specific types of dirt, it is difficult to efficiently remove various types of dirt according to the type of dirt. Moreover, there is no example that makes it possible to selectively keep the surface of an object clean so that it does not get dirty, or to remove dirt attached to the surface, etc. Furthermore, for example, the technique using the gel-type detergent mentioned above requires that the area be periodically washed with water, and the technique using the film-forming composition requires that the formed film be peeled off to remove the dirt, so it is not necessarily easy to recover the removed dirt. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-111699 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-160867 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-144023 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-298650 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] The present invention aims to provide a dirt removal method and dirt removal device that can selectively keep the surface of an object clean so that it does not get dirty, or remove dirt that has adhered to the surface, depending on the type of dirt, and that can easily recover the removed dirt. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The inventors arrived at this invention based on the discovery that, unlike conventional coating technologies that aim to keep the surfaces of objects clean for long periods of time, it is possible to achieve semi-permanent self-cleaning functionality by adopting a mechanism (a "turnover mechanism") that repeatedly generates and removes a fibrous gel material that has anti-fouling properties against external dirt at the desired timing. According to the present invention, various types of dirt can be addressed by changing the gel material. For example, a fibrous gel material can absorb water-soluble dirt or repel lipophilic dirt to prevent the intrusion of dirt, and can even adsorb macroscopic dirt particles such as dust using electrical properties (obtained by changing the monomers contained in the gel to anionic or cationic). By covering the surface of an object with such a fibrous gel material, it is possible to keep the surface clean and free from dirt. Similarly, by applying this fibrous gel material to the surface of a dirty object, the dirt can be absorbed or adsorbed into the gel material, thereby removing it. Moreover, the absorbed or adsorbed dirt can be easily recovered by recovering the fibrous gel material. In this way, the present invention can solve the problems of the prior art described above.

[0011] That is, the present invention is a method for removing dirt, comprising the steps of preparing a gel solution contained in a container, transporting the gel solution from the container through a conduit, applying energy to the gel solution in the transported conduit to generate a fibrous gel material, separating the fibrous gel material from the gel solution in the transported conduit, discharging the fibrous gel material from the conduit, attaching dirt to the fibrous gel material, and recovering the fibrous gel material with the dirt attached.

[0012] In the method of the present invention, the step of applying energy to the gel solution in the transported conduit may include the step of irradiating the gel solution in the transported conduit with ultraviolet light. The step of separating the fibrous gel material from the gel solution in the conduit may also include the step of supplying a gas into the conduit.

[0013] Furthermore, in the method of the present invention, the step of discharging the fibrous gel material from the conduit can include a step of discharging the fibrous gel material from the front side of the hole of a substrate having a hole leading from the front side to the back side, with the conduit connected to the back side of the hole. In this case, the step of attaching dirt to the fibrous gel material may include a step of capturing dirt attached to the surface by covering the surface of the substrate with the fibrous gel material. The step of attaching dirt to the fibrous gel material may include the step of attaching dirt attached to the surface of the substrate to the fibrous gel material. Alternatively, the step of attaching dirt to the fibrous gel material may include a step of capturing dirt attached to another surface opposite the surface of the substrate by covering the other surface with the fibrous gel material. Furthermore, the step of attaching dirt to the fibrous gel material may include the step of attaching dirt attached to another surface opposite the surface of the substrate to the fibrous gel material.

[0014] The present invention also provides a stain removal device comprising: a container for containing a gel solution; a conduit having one end connected to the container so that the gel solution can be transported from the container; a pump for transporting the gel solution through the conduit; an energy application means for applying energy to the gel solution transported in the conduit to generate a fibrous gel material; a separation means for separating the fibrous gel material from the gel solution transported in the conduit; and a discharge means for discharging the fibrous gel material from the conduit.

[0015] The device of the present invention may further comprise a recovery means for recovering the soiled fibrous gel material. The energy application means may include a light source for irradiating ultraviolet light. Additionally, the separating means may include means for forcing a gas into the conduit.

[0016] Furthermore, the device of the present invention can include a substrate having a hole that runs from the front surface to the back surface, the conduit being connected to the back surface side of the hole, and the hole serving as the ejection means for ejecting the fibrous gel material from the front surface side of the hole. In this case, the device of the present invention may be configured to capture dirt adhering to the surface by covering the surface of the substrate with the fibrous gel material. Furthermore, dirt adhering to the surface of the substrate may be adhered to the fibrous gel material. Alternatively, the fibrous gel material may be used to cover another surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface, thereby capturing dirt adhering to the other surface. Furthermore, dirt adhering to another surface opposite to the surface of the substrate may be adhered to the fibrous gel material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, by changing the fibrous gel material generated from the gel solution, it is possible to deal with various types of dirt, such as water-soluble dirt, oily dirt, and dust. Furthermore, the fibrous gel material can be used to cover the surface of an object to keep it clean, or the fibrous gel material can be applied to a dirty surface to remove the dirt. Furthermore, dirt adhering to the fibrous gel material can be easily recovered by recovering the fibrous gel material. After removal, the gel material that has adsorbed the dirt shrinks in volume and hardens over time as water evaporates from the gel material. Therefore, even when recovering the gel with the adhering dirt, secondary damage caused by the dirt scattering outside the gel material can be prevented.

[0018] Furthermore, the advantages of the present invention compared with conventional stain removal techniques include the following: First, compared to conventional coating technologies, the present invention is superior in that it is easy to remove macroscopic dirt, a clean surface can be maintained by repeatedly generating and removing the fibrous gel material, and various types of dirt can be dealt with by replacing the gel solution. Furthermore, the present invention is also superior in that it can not only remove dirt that newly adheres to the surface from the outside, but also remove dirt that is already present on the surface. In addition, there is a known technology (keyboard cleaner) that uses the tackiness and flexibility of the gel itself to collect dirt that has stuck in the gaps of keyboards, etc., but in comparison to this technology, the present invention is superior in that it can remove not only solid dirt such as dirt, but also liquid and oily dirt, and can generate new fibrous gel material as needed, so it can maintain its dirt removal performance without deterioration. Furthermore, chemical wipes are known as a technology for collecting various types of dirt using fibrous polymers, but in comparison to this technology, the present invention is superior in that the fibrous gel material to which the dirt has been attached shrinks as it dries, thereby trapping the dirt within the gel material, and there is no concern that the dirt will scatter when the material to which it has been attached is collected.

[0019] Furthermore, the bodies of soft robots developed in recent years are often made of soft materials such as silicone and urethane, and although these materials have the advantages of being soft and waterproof, they have the problem of being sticky on the surface, making them prone to adhesion of solid dust and oleophilic dirt. While applying a coating to the surface of the soft robot's body could be considered to solve this problem, doing so would damage the texture of the soft material. According to the present invention, by covering the surface of the body of a soft robot with a fibrous gel material like animal hair, dirt adhering to the surface is captured, while the fibrous gel material to which the dirt has adhered is detached from the body and new fibrous gel material is generated, creating a mechanism similar to that of hair growing back, which makes it possible to design a soft robot that can update the surface texture. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a stain removal device of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the "turnover mechanism" employed in the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the stain removing device of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 shows results for water-soluble soil removal according to an example according to one aspect of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 shows results for oily soil removal according to an example according to one aspect of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10A-10C show results for dust stain removal according to an example according to an aspect of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 shows the results of removing water-soluble stains according to an example according to another aspect of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 shows the results of oily soil removal according to an example according to another aspect of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the results of dust stain removal according to an example according to another aspect of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the results of another evaluation of the removal of oily stains according to an example according to another aspect of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the stain removal method of the present invention, first, a gel solution contained in a container is prepared. The container can be made of any material, with any dimensions, any shape, etc., as long as it can contain the gel solution. The gel solution usable in the present invention must be capable of being transported through a conduit and capable of generating a fibrous gel material by applying energy to the gel solution in the conduit. Such a gel solution may contain a polymerization initiator, a monomer, a crosslinking agent, and a solvent, as described below, and may contain other components as needed.

[0022] [Polymerization initiator] The polymerization initiator that can be used in the present invention may be any that can initiate polymerization of a monomer upon receiving applied energy, and may be, for example, a photopolymerization initiator. The photopolymerization initiator has an absorption wavelength close to the wavelength of the light irradiated onto the gel solution in the conduit to produce the fibrous gel material, and polymerizes the monomers contained in the gel solution to form the polymer that makes up the fibrous gel material. When the polymerization initiator used in the present invention is a photopolymerization initiator, it may be any initiator that initiates polymerization of a monomer by light such as ultraviolet light or visible light, and examples thereof include α-ketoglutaric acid, benzophenone, acetophenone benzyl, benzyl dimethyl ketone, benzoin, benzoin methyl ether, benzoin ethyl ether, benzoin isopropyl ether, dimethoxyacetophenone, dimethoxyphenylacetophenone, diethoxyacetophenone, diphenyl disulfite, methyl orthobenzoylbenzoate, and 4-dimethylaminobenzoate. ethyl acetate, 2,4-diethylthioxanthone, 2-methyl-1-[4-(methyl)phenyl]-2-morpholinopropanone-1, tetra(t-butylperoxycarbonyl)benzophenone, benzyl, 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-1-one, 4,4-bisdiethylaminobenzophenone, 2,2'-bis(2-chlorophenyl)-4,5,4',5'-tetraphenyl-1,2'-biimidazole, diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)-phosphine oxide (TPO), and the like. As the photopolymerization initiator, an ultraviolet polymerization initiator can be particularly preferably used.

[0023] [monomer] Monomers that can be used in the present invention are those that can be polymerized using a polymerization initiator, such as 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPs), N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAAm), 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, lauryl acrylic acid (LA), stearyl acrylic acid (SA), acrylic acid (AA), methacrylic acid, styrenesulfonic acid, or salts thereof, such as sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonate (NaAMPs), sodium acrylate, and sodium styrenesulfonate. These monomers can be selected depending on the type of stain to be removed, and multiple monomers can also be used in combination. For example, DMAAm has excellent compatibility and dissolves in various solvents (it is insoluble in n-hexane). As a nonionic monomer, it exhibits strong moisture absorption and antistatic properties. Furthermore, NaAMPS is expected to improve water absorption performance when used in combination with DMAAm. Furthermore, SA is oil-soluble, and adding it to a gel is expected to improve tackiness.

[0024] [Crosslinking agent] In the present invention, a crosslinking agent can be used to crosslink the polymers that make up the fibrous gel material. Examples of crosslinking agents that can be used include polyfunctional vinyl monomers having two or more radically polymerizable unsaturated groups. Divinyl compounds such as N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA), N,N'-diethylene glycol dimethacrylate (DEGDMA), and polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) are suitable.

[0025] [solvent] The gel solution used in the present invention may contain a solvent, which is retained inside the fibrous gel material made of a polymer to form a gel. The solvent may be water such as purified water, an organic solvent such as polyethylene glycol or oleic acid, or a mixture of water and an organic solvent. When the solvent contains water as the main component, the gel formed is a hydrogel, and when the solvent contains an organic solvent as the main component, the gel formed is an organogel.

[0026] [Other ingredients] The gel solution used in the present invention may contain other components such as a light absorber and a dispersant, provided that the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

[0027] The gel solution used in the present invention is prepared by mixing the above components in the desired proportions, transporting them through a conduit, applying energy to produce a fibrous gel material, and discharging the fibrous gel material from the conduit to adhere dirt and allow it to be collected. The conduit used in the present invention can be any material, size, shape, etc., as long as it can transport the gel solution. Materials that have low adhesion to the gel during synthesis (reaction) (such as silicone or butyl rubber) are preferred. If PLA or glass is used, there is a risk that the gel will stick to the wall after formation. In the method of the present invention, energy is applied to the gel solution in the transported conduit to produce a fibrous gel material, for example, by irradiating the gel solution in the transported conduit with ultraviolet light.

[0028] [Fibrous gel material] The fibrous gel material of the present invention can be made to be able to deal with various types of dirt, such as water-soluble dirt, oily dirt, and dust, by selecting the components of the gel solution used. Table 1 shows examples of the compositions of three types of gel materials, "DMAAm gel," "NaAMPS gel," and "octadecyl gel," which are examples of gel materials that can be used to deal with different types of stains.

[0029] [Table 1]

[0030] The structure of the DMAAm gel is such that a polymer made from DMAAm monomers is cross-linked with the cross-linking agent MBAA, and the solvent (purified water) is held within the network formed by the cross-linking. Because DMAAm is compatible, it is thought that the DMAAm gel also has this property. The structure of NaAMPS gel is such that a copolymer of DMAAm and NaAMPS monomers is crosslinked with the crosslinker PEGDMA, and the solvent (purified water and PEG) is held within the network formed by the crosslinking. NaAMPS contains electrolytes, which ionize in the solvent, generating repulsive forces between the polymers, forming a larger network and improving water absorption. Furthermore, because the crosslinker PEGDMA and the solvent PEG are both hydrophilic polymers, they act to form paths through which water can pass within the gel, further improving the absorption of external solvents. The structure of octadecyl gel is such that a polymer made from DMAAm monomer is cross-linked with the cross-linking agent MBAA, to which SA (Stearyl Acrylate) is introduced, holding the solvent (oleic acid). By adding SA, which is an oleophilic polymer, it is expected that the ability to absorb oily stains will be improved. Incidentally, the inclusion of a solvent in the gel material makes it easier to eject the fibrous gel material from the conduit. The fibrous gel material used in the present invention is produced by applying energy to the gel solution transported in the conduit, and therefore has a fibrous shape with an outer diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of the conduit. The length of the fibrous gel material can be adjusted to a desired length by adjusting the flow rate of the gel solution transported through the conduit and the energy application time as it continuously passes through the energy application section of the conduit.

[0031] In the present invention, the produced fibrous gel material is separated from the gel solution in the transport conduit by, for example, stopping or reducing the application of energy to the gel solution in the conduit or increasing the flow rate of the gel solution through the energized portion of the conduit, thereby causing the unreacted gel solution to pass through the energized portion of the conduit. This separation step can also be achieved by injecting a gas into the conduit, which effectively prevents unreacted gel solution from exiting the conduit following the fibrous gel material.

[0032] In the present invention, when the fibrous gel material is discharged from a conduit, it is possible to discharge it from an orifice or the like, but it is also possible to use a substrate having a hole that runs from the front surface to the back surface, with a conduit connected to the back side of the hole, as a kind of orifice. In this case, if the surface of the substrate is covered with a fibrous gel material, the dirt adhering to the surface can be captured and attached to the fibrous gel material, thereby preventing the surface from becoming dirty. Furthermore, the fibrous gel material may be used to adhere dirt adhering to the surface of the substrate, thereby achieving a self-cleaning surface. Alternatively, if the surface opposite to the substrate surface is covered with a fibrous gel material, the dirt adhering to the other surface can be captured and attached to the fibrous gel material, thereby preventing the other surface from becoming dirty. Furthermore, dirt adhering to other surfaces may be attached to the fibrous gel material.

[0033] In the present invention, the step of recovering the soiled fibrous gel material can be carried out by any means, such as using a conventional vacuum cleaner or by simply shaking the gel material off the surface.

[0034] Next, the stain removing device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the stain removing device of the present invention. The apparatus 1 of the present invention includes a container 2 for storing gel solution L, a conduit 3 connected at one end to the container so that the gel solution can be transported from the container 2, a pump 4 for transporting the gel solution through the conduit 3, an energy application means 5 for applying energy to the transported gel solution in the conduit to produce a fibrous gel material F, a separation means 6 for separating the fibrous gel material from the gel solution in the transported conduit, and a discharge means 7 for discharging the fibrous gel material from the conduit. The device of the present invention may further include a collection means (not shown) for collecting the fibrous gel material with the soil D. The collection means may be a device such as a conventional vacuum cleaner. The energy application means 5 may include a light source for irradiating ultraviolet rays, and a UV tape or the like may also be used. As shown in FIG. 1, the separating means 6 can include a means for feeding a gas such as air into the conduit 3, specifically, a conduit for feeding the gas A and a pump.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 1, the device of the present invention includes a substrate 8 having a hole that runs from the front surface to the back surface, with a conduit 3 connected to the back surface side of the hole, and this hole can be used as a discharge means 7 to discharge a fibrous gel material from the front surface side of the hole. In this case, the device of the present invention may be configured to capture dirt adhering to the surface by covering the surface of the substrate 8 with a fibrous gel material, thereby preventing the surface from becoming dirty. Furthermore, the fibrous gel material may be used to adhere dirt adhering to the surface of the substrate 8. In this way, it is possible to realize a surface with a self-cleaning function.

[0036] The self-cleaning surface realized by the "turnover mechanism" employed in the present invention will be described with reference to the conceptual diagram shown in FIG. According to the present invention, energy is applied by energy application means 5 to gel solution transported from container 2 through conduit 3 using pump 4, and the generated fibrous gel material is then projected by discharge means 7 (FIG. 2(a)). The surface of substrate 8 is covered with the fibrous gel material, capturing dirt adhering to the surface, until a predetermined time has passed or until the dirt capturing ability of the fibrous gel material has decreased (FIG. 2(b)). After the predetermined time has passed, or when the dirt capturing ability of the fibrous gel material has decreased, the fibrous gel material is separated by separation means 6, and the fibrous gel material with the adhering dirt is recovered (FIG. 2(c)). New fibrous gel material is generated and discharged (FIG. 2(a)), and this cycle is repeated.

[0037] Another embodiment of the stain removing device of the present invention is as shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the other surface 9 opposite to the surface of the substrate is covered with a fibrous gel material, so that dirt adhering to this other surface 9 can be captured. Furthermore, the fibrous gel material may be used to adhere dirt adhering to the surface 9 opposite to the surface of the substrate. [Example]

[0038] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. [Preparation of gel solution] Gel solutions of three types of gel materials, "DMAAm gel," "NaAMPS gel," and "octadecyl gel," were prepared with the compositions shown in Tables 2, 3, and 4 below.

[0039] [Table 2]

[0040] [Table 3]

[0041] [Table 4]

[0042] First, the monomer (liquid), crosslinking agent, and polymerization initiator were weighed into a beaker and stirred with a magnetic stirrer. The octadecyl gel was stirred while heating to 40-50°C, but the other components were stirred at room temperature. Stirring was continued for 10 minutes or more, and it was confirmed that all solids had dissolved. Next, the solvent was measured and added to the beaker while stirring. Stirring was continued for 10 minutes or more, and it was confirmed that all the solids had dissolved. Each gel solution was placed in a brown bottle and stored at room temperature.

[0043] [Configuration of dirt removal device] A silicone tube (inner diameter 2 mm) was connected as a conduit to the container containing the gel solution prepared above, and the rotation of a motor (INTLLAB 12V 5W) was controlled with a one-board microcomputer (Arduino) so that the gel solution was transported through the conduit. Using a UV light source (product name: UV-SVGNC405-01 Black Light 405nm Nitride Chip LED 1W), ultraviolet light was irradiated onto the gel solution transported inside the conduit near the outlet, generating a fibrous gel material. The resulting fibrous gel material was ejected in steps (approximately 25 mm of fibrous gel material at a time) from holes in a silicone plate (30 mm x 30 mm) prepared as a substrate, ensuring 20 seconds of UV irradiation time. The diameter of the ejected gel was 2 mm. After approximately 70 ejections, 98% of the substrate surface was covered with fibrous gel material.

[0044] [Stain removal evaluation] To simulate various types of soil, purified water with methylene blue added was used for water-soluble soil, oleic acid with methyl red added for oily soil, and a mixture of fly ash and cotton linter in a weight ratio of 27.5:56.2 was used for dusty soil. These were applied in specified amounts to the substrate, and the removal of the soil was evaluated.

[0045] [Rating 1: Prevention of dirt] A predetermined amount of various types of soil was applied to the substrate surface, 98% of which was covered with a fibrous gel material, and the soil removal rate was evaluated. If the removal rate does not decrease even with increasing amounts of soil, it can be evaluated that the soiling was effectively prevented. The results are shown in Figure 4 (water-soluble soiling), Figure 5 (oil soiling), and Figure 6 (dust soiling). It can be seen that the fibrous gel material of NaAMPS gel is superior in removing water-soluble stains (Figure 4), and the fibrous gel material of octadecyl gel is superior in removing oily stains (Figure 5).

[0046] [Evaluation 2: Removal of new stains] The fibrous gel material was ejected a predetermined number of times onto a substrate surface to which a predetermined amount of various types of soil had been applied, and after 20 minutes of holding the material in that state, the fibrous gel material was recovered from the substrate surface to evaluate how much soil had been removed from the surface. If a high soil removal rate was achieved with a small number of ejections, it can be evaluated as having effectively removed new soil. The results are shown in Figure 7 (water-soluble soil), Figure 8 (oil soil), and Figure 9 (dust soil). It can be seen that the fibrous gel material of NaAMPS gel is superior in removing water-soluble stains (Figure 7), while the fibrous gel material of octadecyl gel is superior in removing oily and dusty stains (Figures 8 and 9).

[0047] [Evaluation 3: Removal of new oil stains - Comparison with conventional technology] The oil stain removal performance of the fibrous gel material of the octadecyl gel of the present invention, which is excellent at removing oil stains, was evaluated to see how much better it was compared to the conventional technology of wiping off oil stains using a paper rag (Kimwipe, product name, manufactured by Nippon Paper Crecia Co., Ltd.). Two samples were prepared, each with oil stains attached to the entire surface of a 30 mm x 30 mm silicone plate. One was a fibrous gel material of the octadecyl gel of the present invention, and the oil was removed in the same manner as in Evaluation 2, except that the number of ejections was increased to 100. For comparison, the oil stains on the surface of the other silicone plate were wiped off with Kimwipes. The degree of oil stain removal was determined by measuring the coefficient of friction of the sample surface. Measurements were made using a Trinity Lab Tribomaster μv1000 speed-varying friction tester, with a measurement range of 15 mm, at four locations divided vertically into four equal parts, at a speed of 1 mm per second and a load of 100 g. As a reference, measurements were also made on the surface of the silicone plate before the oil stain was attached and on the surface immediately after the oil stain was attached (before the stain was removed). The results are shown in Figure 10. When oil stains were removed using fibrous octadecyl according to the present invention, the friction coefficient of the silicone plate surface was higher than when the stains were wiped off with Kimwipes, indicating that more oil was removed using the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for removing stains, comprising: providing a gel solution contained in a container; conveying the gel solution from the container through a conduit; applying energy to the gel solution conveyed within the conduit to produce a fibrous gel material; separating the fibrous gel material from the gel solution in the conduit into which it is conveyed; expelling the fibrous gel material from the conduit; Adhering soil to the fibrous gel material; and recovering the soiled fibrous gel material; The method comprising:

2. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying energy to the gel solution in the conveyed conduit comprises irradiating the gel solution in the conveyed conduit with ultraviolet light.

3. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating the fibrous gel material from the gel solution in the conveyed conduit comprises the step of forcing a gas into the conduit.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the step of discharging the fibrous gel material from the conduit comprises a step of discharging the fibrous gel material from the front side of the hole of the substrate having a hole that runs from the front side to the back side, the conduit being connected to the back side of the hole.

5. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of attaching dirt to the fibrous gel material includes the step of covering the surface of the substrate with the fibrous gel material to capture dirt adhering to the surface.

6. The method of claim 4 or 5, wherein the step of attaching dirt to the fibrous gel material comprises attaching dirt attached to the surface of the substrate to the fibrous gel material.

7. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of attaching dirt to the fibrous gel material includes the step of covering another surface opposite the surface of the substrate with the fibrous gel material, thereby capturing dirt attached to the other surface.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of attaching dirt to the fibrous gel material includes attaching dirt attached to another surface opposite the surface of the substrate to the fibrous gel material.

9. 1. A stain removal device, comprising: a container for containing a gel solution; a conduit having one end connected to the container so as to be able to transport the gel solution from the container; a pump for conveying the gel solution through the conduit; an energy application means for applying energy to the gel solution conveyed in the conduit to generate a fibrous gel material; a separating means for separating the fibrous gel material from the gel solution in the conduit through which it is conveyed; and a discharge means for discharging the fibrous gel material from the conduit; The device comprising:

10. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising recovery means for recovering said soiled fibrous gel material.

11. 11. The apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the energy application means comprises a light source for irradiating ultraviolet light.

12. Apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the separating means comprises means for forcing gas into the conduit.

13. The device according to any one of claims 9 to 12, further comprising a substrate having a hole that extends from the front surface to the back surface, the conduit being connected to the back surface side of the hole, and the hole serving as the discharge means for discharging the fibrous gel material from the front surface side of the hole.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the fibrous gel material covers the surface of the substrate to trap dirt adhering to the surface.

15. 15. The apparatus of claim 13 or 14, wherein the fibrous gel material adheres to dirt adhering to the surface of the substrate.

16. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the fibrous gel material covers another surface opposite the surface of the substrate, thereby capturing dirt adhering to the other surface.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the fibrous gel material adheres to another surface opposite the surface of the substrate.

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