Novel materials and methods for water purification

Abstract

A catalyst for the purification, e.g., disinfection, of water is disclosed. The catalyst of the invention comprises a substrate, a first metal, and at least one additional metal. The metals are codeposited on the substrate to form a unified structure. Methods of using the catalyst to disinfect water and devices for the purification of water are also disclosed.

1 . A catalyst for purifying water comprising a substrate, a first metal, and at least one additional metal, wherein said first metal and said additional metal are codeposited onto said substrate.  
     
     
         2 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein said purifying comprises disinfecting said water by killing of microorganisms contained therein.  
     
     
         3 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is a metal oxide.  
     
     
         4 . The catalyst of  claim 3 , wherein said substrate is alumina.  
     
     
         5 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein said first metal is selected from the group consisting of transition metals, platinides, rare earth metals, and oxides of transition metals, platinides, or rare earth metals.  
     
     
         6 . The catalyst of  claim 5 , wherein said first metal is a transition metal.  
     
     
         7 . The catalyst of  claim 6 , wherein said first metal is copper, silver or gold.  
     
     
         8 . The catalyst of  claim 7 , wherein said first metal is silver.  
     
     
         9 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein said first metal is an oxide of a transition metal, a platinide, or a rare earth metal.  
     
     
         10 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein said additional metal is selected from the group consisting of transition metals, platinides, rare earth metals, and oxides of transition metals, platinides, or rare earth metals.  
     
     
         11 . The catalyst of  claim 10 , wherein said additional metal is a transition metal.  
     
     
         12 . The catalyst of  claim 11 , wherein said additional metal is platinum, palladium, molybdenum, or vanadium.  
     
     
         13 . The catalyst of  claim 12 , wherein said additional metal is palladium.  
     
     
         14 . The catalyst of  claim 10 , wherein said additional metal is an oxide of a transition metal, a platinide, or a rare earth metal.  
     
     
         15 . The catalyst of  claim 9 , further comprising one or more additional metal oxides.  
     
     
         16 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein said catalyst has a redox potential of 100 mV/mg or greater.  
     
     
         17 . The catalyst of  claim 16 , wherein said catalyst has a redox potential of 120 mV/mg or greater.  
     
     
         18 . The catalyst of  claim 17 , wherein said catalyst has a redox potential of 130 mV/mg or greater.  
     
     
         19 . A catalyst for purifying water comprising a substrate, silver, and palladium, wherein palladium and silver are codeposited onto said substrate and wherein said palladium and said silver form a unified structure on the surface of said substrate.  
     
     
         20 . The catalyst of  claim 19 , wherein said substrate is a metal oxide.  
     
     
         21 . The catalyst of  claim 20 , wherein said substrate is alumina.  
     
     
         22 . The catalyst of  claim 19 , wherein silver comprises about 0.1% to about 3.0% of the weight of the catalyst.  
     
     
         23 . The catalyst of  claim 22  wherein silver comprises about 0.5% to about 3.0% of the weight of the catalyst.  
     
     
         24 . The catalyst of  claim 23 , wherein silver comprises about 0.5% to about 2.0% of the weight of the catalyst.  
     
     
         25 . The catalyst of  claim 24 , wherein silver comprises about 1.2% of the catalyst.  
     
     
         26 . The catalyst of  claim 19 , wherein palladium comprises about 1×10 −4  to about 1×10 −2 % of the weight of the catalyst.  
     
     
         27 . The catalyst of  claim 26 , wherein palladium comprises about 1×10 −4  to about 6×10 −3 % of the weight of the catalyst.  
     
     
         28 . The catalyst of  claim 27 , wherein palladium comprises about 1×10 −4  to about 5×10 −3 % of the weight of the catalyst.  
     
     
         29 . The catalyst of  claim 28 , wherein palladium comprises about 1×10 −4  to about 2×10 −3 % of the weight of the catalyst.  
     
     
         30 . A method for purifying water, comprising contacting water with a catalyst, wherein said catalyst comprises a substrate, a first metal, and at least one additional metal, and wherein said first metal and said additional metal are codeposited onto said substrate, to purify thereby said water.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said purifying comprises disinfecting said water by killing of microorganisms contained therein.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said substrate is a metal oxide.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said substrate is alumina.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said first metal is selected from the group consisting of transition metals, platinides, rare earth metals, and oxides of transition metals, platinides, or rare earth metals.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said first metal is a transition metal.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said first metal is copper, silver or gold.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said first metal is silver.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said first metal is an oxide of a transition metal, a platinide, or a rare earth metal.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said additional metal is selected from the group consisting of transition metals, platinides, rare earth metals, and oxides of transition metals, platinides, or rare earth metals.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said additional metal is a transition metal.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said additional metal is platinum, palladium, molybdenum, or vanadium.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein said additional metal is palladium.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said additional metal is oxide of a transition metal, a platinide, or a rare earth metal.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising one or more additional metal oxides.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said catalyst has a redox potential of 100 mV/mg or greater.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said catalyst has a redox potential of 120 mV/mg or greater.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein said catalyst has a redox potential of 130 mV/mg or greater.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said catalyst has a kill rate of 1,000 organisms/mL per fifteen seconds, or greater of microorganisms contained in said water.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said catalyst has a kill rate of 10,000 organisms/mL per fifteen seconds, or greater of microorganisms contained in said water.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said catalyst has a kill rate of 100,000 organisms/mL per second, or greater of microorganisms contained in said water.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said catalyst comprises an alumina substrate, silver, and palladium, wherein said silver and said palladium are codeposited onto said substrate.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein said microorganism is bacteria.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein said bacteria is selected from the group consisting of  Escherichia coli, Streptococcus faecalis, Legimella pneumophila, Yersinia enterocolitica, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella terrigena, Salmonella typhi  and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the disinfected water meets or exceeds water safety standards for potable water.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein said disinfected water meets or exceeds water safety standards for potable water without an additional water disinfecting step.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising contacting the water through a charcoal filter.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein said water is contacted with said charcoal filter prior to contact with said catalyst.  
     
     
         59 . A method for inactivating microorganisms in water, comprising contacting the water with a catalyst, wherein said catalyst comprises a substrate, a first metal, and at least one additional metal, wherein said first metal and said additional metal are codeposited onto said substrate, such that said bacteria are inactivated.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein said substrate is alumina.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein said first metal is silver.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein said additional metal is selected from the group consisting of palladium, platinum, vanadium, and molybdenum.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein said additional metal is palladium.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein said microorganisms are bacteria selected from the group consisting of  Escherichia coli, Streptococcus faecalis, Legimella pneumophila, Yersinia enterocolitica, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella terrigena, Salmonella typhi,  and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         65 . A device for purifying water comprising a catalyst, wherein said catalyst comprises a substrate, a first metal, and at least one additional metal, wherein said first metal and said additional metal are codeposited onto said substrate.  
     
     
         66 . The device of  claim 65  which further comprises a filter, wherein said filter contains said catalyst.  
     
     
         67 . The device of  claim 65 , wherein said purifying comprises disinfecting said water by killing of microorganisms contained therein.  
     
     
         68 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein said catalyst comprises an alumina substrate, silver, and palladium, wherein said silver and said palladium are codeposited onto said substrate.  
     
     
         69 . The device of  claim 67 , wherein said device is portable.  
     
     
         70 . The device of  claim 65 , which further comprises a housing surrounding said catalyst, a water inlet and a water outlet.  
     
     
         71 . A packaged catalyst for the disinfection of water comprising a catalyst, a container for said catalyst, and instructions for using said catalyst for the disinfection water, wherein said catalyst comprises a substrate, a first metal, and at least one additional metal, wherein said first metal and said additional metal are codeposited onto said substrate.  
     
     
         72 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein said purification comprises converting harmful, toxic and/or reactive organic compounds contained in the water to less harmful, less toxic and/or less reactive compounds.  
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said purification comprises converting harmful, toxic and/or reactive organic compounds contained in the water to less harmful, less toxic and/or less reactive compounds.