Catalytic Clothing: Clothing that breaks down air borne pollutants by means of a photocatalyst.

   

This is amazing clothing, that when light shines on this clothing, the electrons in the material are rearranged and become more reactive which are then able to react with the water in the air and break it apart into 2 radicals (extremely reactive molecules). These radicals then react with the pollutants in the air causing them to break down into non-harmful chemicals.  

This new clothing technology is designed to breakdown pollutants immediately. However, it is likely that some pollutant may not be broken down and get attached to the clothing, but they will then be washed off during laundering.

How is the technology delivered to the surface of the clothing?

During your laundry procedure the photocatalyst is delivered to the surface of the clothing as an addictive within a standard product such as a fabric softer.

Mass participated is need

As each garment is only able to remove a small amount of air pollutant, the more people wearing the Catalytic Clothing the more noticeable the pollution reduction level will be.

It has been estimated that to see a significant reduction in the level of air borne pollutants in a city such as London, for every metre of pavement, 30 people wearing Catalytic Clothes walked past each minute. 

Why should we reduce or ideally get rid of air borne Pollutants?

Air borne pollutants are mostly caused from motor vehicles and industry, and present a risk to human health as well as having detrimental effects on ecosystems and vegetation.

How we will be able to see that the clothing is working

There is already some form of air quality monitoring stations in most major cities and towns. Those monitors record the levels of a range of major pollutants, such as NOx and VOC’s.

The team working on the Catalytic Clothing expect that once the Catalytic Clothing technology is in widespread use considerable reductions in the levels of the pollutants will be observed using those monitors.


When will it be available?

Catalytic Clothing will hopefully be publicly available in 2013.


Glossary:

A catalyst - a person/thing that starts or speeds up a reaction while undergoing no permanent change itself.

A photocatalyst – a catalyst which gets the energy it needs to be active from light.

A radical - an extremely reactive molecule.