Fluorescent Material UV Shielding Visible Light Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultraviolet-light-shielding glass has insufficient shielding efficiency and is economically inefficient due to the use of rare metals like cerium, which is costly and not sustainable.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a fluorescent material that emits internal light of 330 to 400 nm when excited by external light, which is then used to emit visible light, utilizing a complex or mixture of 4-hydroxycoumarin and aluminum chloride, or a compound synthesized from arginine and a coumarin pigment, to efficiently convert ultraviolet light into visible light without using rare metals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If cerium ions are used to convert ultraviolet light into visible light, then ultraviolet shielding and visible light generation are achieved, but the cost increases due to the use of rare metal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive rare metal cerium with inexpensive organic fluorescent materials (coumarin derivatives, triphenylmethane dyes, etc.) that can be easily synthesized or obtained. These organic materials achieve the same ultraviolet shielding and visible light generation function without the high cost associated with rare metals, directly resolving the contradiction between manufacturing cost and functional performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters from inorganic cerium ions to organic fluorescent compounds with specific molecular structures. By selecting materials with appropriate absorption and emission wavelength characteristics, the system achieves effective ultraviolet conversion while maintaining low cost and ease of manufacture.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional ultraviolet shielding glass is used, then some ultraviolet protection is provided, but the shielding rate is only approximately 50% which is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of merely blocking ultraviolet light, the patent converts harmful ultraviolet radiation into useful visible light through fluorescent materials. The ultraviolet photons are absorbed and re-emitted as visible photons, achieving near-complete ultraviolet shielding (converting the harmful effect into a beneficial one) while simultaneously increasing visible light transmission, thus resolving the contradiction between shielding effectiveness and light transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material systems combining glass substrates with multiple organic fluorescent materials having different absorption and emission characteristics. This composite approach enables broad-spectrum ultraviolet absorption (achieving high shielding rates) while maintaining good visible light transmission through careful selection of fluorescent materials with appropriate emission wavelengths in the visible range.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively shields ultraviolet light while increasing visible light transmission, achieving high efficiency and cost-effectiveness by using readily available materials, thereby enhancing the utilization of solar energy without the need for rare metals.
Implementation Method 1
exciting a fluorescent material by external light of 200 to 330 nm, to cause the fluorescent material to emit internal light of 330 to 400 nm
Implementation Method 2
exciting the fluorescent material by the internal light of 330 to 400 nm thus emitted, to cause the fluorescent material to emit visible light of 400 nm or more
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method of shielding ultraviolet light and increasing visible light, enabling shielding or removal of ultraviolet light, transmission of visible light, effective utilization of ultraviolet energy to obtain visible light, and not requiring use of rare metal thus being low in cost. The method has: a first excitation step of exciting a fluorescent material by external light of 200 nm to 330 nm: an internal light emission step in which the fluorescent material excited in the first excitation step emits internal light of 330 nm to 400 nm; a second excitation step of exciting the same or a different fluorescent material by external light of 330 nm to 400 nm and by the internal light of 330 nm to 400 nm; and a visible light emission step in which the fluorescent material excited in the second excitation step emits visible light of 400 nm or more.