Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Self-Cleaning Fabric Reacts to Light

Self-Cleaning Fabric Reacts to Light

Boring laundry could be obsolete, with new tech from UC Davis researchers. Photo Paolo/Flickr. Forget washing your clothes. In the future, you may be able to clean your shirt just by taking a walk in the sun.

Students at UC Davis have worked out a way to mix cotton with a compound that reacts to light. When hit by photons, the compound — 2-anthraquinone carboxylic acid — reacts and produces hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide, you will remember, is used to bleach hair and propel rockets.

Gadget Lab, Self-Cleaning Fabric Reacts to Light

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