Scientists create self-cleaning fabric
Chemists at the University of California at Davis have said they have found a way of producing clothing that cleans itself when exposed to light.
Ning Liu, a doctoral student at UC Davis, worked with textile chemists Gang Sun and Jing Zhu to develop a method that incorporates a compound (2-AQC) into cotton fabrics. When exposed to light, it produces reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide that kill bacteria and break down toxins.
While Liu says 2-AQC is more expensive than other compounds, it is difficult to remove from cotton due to strong bonding. “The new fabric has potential applications in biological and chemical protective clothing for health care, food processing, and farm workers, as well as military personnel,” she said. The team reported on its findings in a scientific journal in September.
