Titanium Oxide Fine Particles with Iron and Silicon for Photocatalysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current photocatalysts, particularly titanium oxide-based systems, exhibit limited photocatalytic activity under visible light conditions, necessitating enhancements to effectively decompose organic substances and achieve desired cleaning, deodorizing, and antibacterial effects.

Innovation Solution

The development of titanium oxide fine particles with an iron and silicon component solid-dissolved therein, combined with a method for producing a dispersion liquid, which involves creating an iron and silicon-containing peroxotitanic acid solution and subsequent hydrothermal treatment to form particles with enhanced photocatalytic activity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If titanium oxide fine particles with iron and silicon components solid-dissolved are used, then photocatalytic activity under visible light is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvephotocatalytic activityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines iron component-containing titanium oxide fine particles and silicon component-containing titanium oxide fine particles into a single composite photocatalyst system. This merging allows the photocatalyst to achieve enhanced visible light activity through iron while maintaining manufacturing simplicity by using a unified particle structure rather than separate components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of titanium oxide by solid-dissolving both iron and silicon components simultaneously. This parameter change enables the material to absorb visible light more effectively while maintaining a straightforward synthesis process through controlled co-doping

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Use of energy by moving object

If separate titanium oxide fine particles with tin and transition metal are mixed, then visible light activity is enhanced, but decomposition activity at low substrate concentration is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisible light activityVSAvoiddecomposition activity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite photocatalyst system where iron component-containing titanium oxide fine particles and silicon component-containing titanium oxide fine particles work synergistically. The iron component enhances visible light absorption while the silicon component improves decomposition activity, achieving both high visible light activity and effective decomposition at low substrate concentrations through material composition rather than physical mixing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 resulting titanium oxide fine particles demonstrate improved photocatalytic activity under both ultraviolet and visible light conditions, effectively decomposing organic substances and enhancing cleaning, deodorizing, and antibacterial effects.

Implementation Method 1

a step of obtaining a dispersion liquid of titanium oxide fine particles with the iron component and the silicon component solid-dissolved therein, by heating the iron component and silicon component-containing peroxotitanic acid solution which has been produced in the step (1) at 80 to 250° C. under a controlled pressure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydrothermal treatment:

Implementation Method 2

A photocatalytic reaction refers to a reaction caused by excited electrons and positive holes that have occurred as a result of having a photocatalyst absorb a light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotocatalytic reaction:

Implementation Method 3

The excited electrons and positive holes that have been generated undergo a redox reaction with the oxygen and water that have adsorbed to the surface of the photocatalyst

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRedox reaction: Redox Reactions

Implementation Method 4

The positive holes that have been generated decompose the organic substance that have adsorbed to the surface of the photocatalyst by directly oxidizing the same

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Data Source

PatentUS12097484B2Titanium oxide fine particles, dispersion liquid thereof, and method for producing dispersion liquid
Publication Date: 2024.09.24 SHIN ETSU CHEMICAL CO LTD

AI summary

Provided are titanium oxide fine particles capable of enhancing the photocatalytic activity of a photocatalyst when mixed with such photocatalyst. There are provided titanium oxide fine particles with at least an iron component and a silicon component solid-dissolved therein, in which the iron and silicon components are each contained in an amount of 1 to 1,000 in terms of a molar ratio to titanium (Ti/Fe or Ti/Si); and a titanium oxide fine particle dispersion liquid in which these titanium oxide fine particles are dispersed in an aqueous dispersion medium.