Method for activating a photocatalytically active outer layer deposited on a composite

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11918979-B2
Application number	US-201917263611-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2019
Priority date	Jul 27, 2018
Publication date	Mar 5, 2024
Grant date	Mar 5, 2024

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for activating a photocatalytically active, for example titanium-dioxide-containing, outer layer ( 13; 23 ) deposited on a composite, by means of at least one element ( 14; 24 ) generating a radiation, for example for generating ultraviolet radiation. The following method steps are comprised here: •a) forming the at least one radiation-generating first element ( 14; 24 ) within the composite; •b) forming at least one sensor ( 16; 26 ) within the composite; •c) recording an actual value of a physical variable characterizing luminous radiation by means of the at least one sensor ( 16; 26 ), wherein the luminous radiation is emitted by a light-generating second element ( 15; 25 ); •d) comparing the recorded actual value with a first threshold value within an evaluation device and switching on the at least one radiation-generating first element ( 14; 24 ) if the actual value is below or above the first threshold value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for activating a photocatalytically active outer layer deposited on a composite by means of at least one radiation-generating element, wherein the composite comprises a substrate and a layer system deposited thereon, comprising:
Forming of at least one radiation-generating first element within the composite;
Forming of at least one sensor within the composite;
Recording of an actual value of a physical parameter measured by light radiation, by means of the at least one sensor, wherein the light radiation is radiated by a light-generating second element;
Comparing of the recorded actual value to a first threshold value by an analysis device and switching on the at least one radiation-generating first element when the actual value exceeds or drops below the first threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation-generating first element is switched off when
an actual value recorded by the at least one sensor exceeds a second threshold value whenever dropping below the first threshold value results in switching on the at least one radiation-generating first element;
or
an actual value recorded by the at least one sensor drops below a second threshold value whenever exceeding the first threshold value results in switching on the at least one radiation-generating first element.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light-generating second element is formed within the composite.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a component can be used as the radiation-generating first element and also as the light-generating second element.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the composite is split into segments and in that at least one radiation-generating first element, at least one light-generating second element, and at least one sensor are formed within each segment.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein an actual value is recorded, by the at least one sensor, for the intensity of the light radiation of the light-generating second element reflected on the outer boundary of the photocatalytically active outer layer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a light source arranged outside of the composite is used as a light-generating second element.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a radiation-generating first element is formed as a UV radiation source.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the photocatalytically active outer layer is formed as a titanium-oxide-based layer.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the photocatalytically active outer layer is doped with nitrogen.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the nitrogen concentration of the photocatalytically active outer layer is formed with a gradient such that the nitrogen concentration is lowest on the side facing the composite, and highest on the surface of the outer layer.

Assignees

• Fraunhofer Ges Forschung

Inventors

• Gotzmann Gaby
• Vogel Uwe
• Glöss Daniel
• Schönfelder Jessy
• Wartenberg Philipp

Classifications

• A61L2103/05

  Living organisms or biological materials · CPC title

• A61L2/18

  Liquid substances · CPC title

• B01J21/063 Primary

  Titanium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof · CPC title

• A61L9/205

  using a photocatalyst or photosensitiser · CPC title

• B01J27/24

  Nitrogen compounds · CPC title