Self-sanitizing waveguiding surfaces for targeted UV disinfection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current antimicrobial surfaces face challenges in quickly and effectively sanitizing high-traffic areas due to the limitations of antimicrobial coatings and UV light technologies, including long kill times, wear-off issues, and potential health risks from UV exposure.
Innovation Solution
A self-sanitizing surface structure utilizing a waveguide that selectively refracts UV light only when a residue is present, using a propagating layer and support layer configuration to control light refraction and minimize exposure, with materials like amorphous silica and metal fluorides, and a UV light source for effective pathogen destruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If UV light is used for surface disinfection, then pathogen destruction speed is improved, but human health safety deteriorates due to harmful UV exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide structure confines UV light to specific regions where pathogens are present on the surface. The light is guided along the waveguide and emitted only at locations where contamination is detected or expected, rather than illuminating the entire surrounding area. This localized light emission maintains high pathogen destruction efficiency while minimizing unnecessary UV exposure to humans.
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide acts as an intermediary structure between the UV light source and the pathogen-contaminated surface. It transports UV light from the source through its internal structure and delivers it precisely to the target surface areas, enabling controlled and targeted disinfection while reducing scattered UV radiation that could harm humans.
2Reliability
If antimicrobial coatings are applied to surfaces, then pathogen killing capability is improved, but coating durability and longevity deteriorate due to wear-off over time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces chemical antimicrobial coatings with a physical UV light-based disinfection system. Instead of relying on chemical substances that degrade and wear off over time, the system uses UV light emitted through waveguides to actively destroy pathogens on demand. This physical mechanism has no consumable materials that wear out, providing indefinite operational life.
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide-based UV system enables surfaces to disinfect themselves autonomously without requiring external application of coatings or chemicals. The embedded waveguides continuously or periodically emit UV light to kill pathogens, making the surface self-sanitizing without needing periodic maintenance or replacement of antimicrobial layers.
3Use of energy by moving object
If high power UV light sources are used for effective disinfection, then optical flux sufficient for pathogen killing is improved, but device complexity and control requirements deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The UV light source is divided into multiple segments or zones along the waveguide structure. Each segment can be independently controlled to emit UV light only in specific areas where pathogens are present. This segmentation allows the system to use high power UV light effectively while reducing overall control complexity by dividing the system into manageable, independently operable units.
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide system enables dynamic control of UV light emission, allowing the system to adjust which segments are active based on real-time contamination detection or predetermined high-risk areas. This dynamic operation optimizes the balance between delivering sufficient optical flux for pathogen killing and managing device complexity through adaptive, rather than static, control.
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
The solution enables rapid and targeted sanitization of surfaces with reduced UV exposure risks, maintaining surface efficacy and safety in high-traffic environments by selectively refracting UV light only at the interface with contaminants, thus enhancing surface hygiene and reducing pathogen transmission.
Implementation Method 1
the waveguide being configured to selectively refract about 0.01% to about 25% of the flux of an ultraviolet (UV) light injected into the propagating layer, the selective refraction occurring when (for example, only when) a residue is on the first transverse side and at an interface with the residue
Implementation Method 2
When the UV light is incident on pathogens on that surface, the UV light induces oxidative damage of genetic material and proteins within those pathogens, thereby disrupting crucial biochemical pathways and triggering pathogen inactivation and/or cell death
Data Source
AI summary
A self-sanitizing surface structure configured to selectively refract light, a method of fabricating a self-sanitizing surface configured to selectively refract light, and a method of decontaminating a surface using selectively refracted light. A waveguide including a support layer below a propagating layer is positioned over a substrate as a self-sanitizing layer. In the absence of a contaminant or residue on the waveguide, UV light injected into the propagating layer is constrained within the propagating layer due to total internal reflection. When a residue is present on the self-sanitizing surface structure, light may be selectively refracted at or near the interface with the residue along the side of the waveguide to destroy the residue. The self-sanitizing surface structure may be configured to refract a suitable amount of UV light in response to a particular type of residue or application.