Photocatalytic fiber and fabric using thereof, and fabric product using the fabric

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a photocatalytic fiber which excels in durability, and decomposition ability against harmful components and can be mass-produced at low cost, a fabric using the fiber, and a fabric product using the fabric. The photocatalytic fiber of the present invention contains a photocatalyst being attached to the fiber. The fiber is preferably having an aspect of forming a thread to which the photocatalyst being attached by spinning after dipping the fiber in a solution at least containing the photocatalyst, an aspect of forming the thread to which the photocatalyst being attached by dipping the fiber in the solution containing at least the photocatalyst after spinning, and an aspect wherein the photocatalyst is a photocatalytic apatite. The fabric of the present invention is characterized by using the photocatalytic fiber. The fabric product of the present invention is characterized by using the fabric.

1 . A photocatalytic fiber comprising: 
 a photocatalyst,    wherein the photocatalyst is attached to the fiber.    
   
   
       2 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the photocatalyst is attached by dipping the fiber in a solution which comprises at least the photocatalyst.  
   
   
       3 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein a thread to which the photocatalyst being attached is formed by spinning after dipping the fiber in a solution which comprises at least the photocatalyst.  
   
   
       4 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the thread to which the photocatalyst being attached is formed by dipping the fiber in the solution which comprises at least the photocatalyst after spinning.  
   
   
       5 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the photocatalyst is in form of particle.  
   
   
       6 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the photocatalyst is capable of exhibiting photocatalytic activity at least by visible light.  
   
   
       7 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the photocatalyst comprises at least an apatite which comprises photocatalytic activity and a visible light-absorbing metal atom.  
   
   
       8 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 7 , wherein the apatite comprises photocatalytic activity, and 
 wherein the apatite comprises a metal atom and at least a part of the metal atom is substituted with the visible light-absorbing metal atom.    
   
   
       9 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 7 , wherein the visible light-absorbing metal atom is chromium (Cr).  
   
   
       10 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 7 , wherein the apatite comprises photocatalytic activity, and 
 wherein the apatite comprises a metal atom necessary for obtaining photocatalytic activity.    
   
   
       11 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 10 , wherein the metal atom necessary for obtaining photocatalytic activity is at least one selected from titanium (Ti), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), tin (Sn), indium (In) and iron (Fe).  
   
   
       12 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 7 , wherein the apatite is expressed by the following General Formula (1).  
       A m (BO n ) z X s   General Formula (1)  where, in the above General Formula (1), “A” represents a metal atom. “B” represents any one of phosphorus atom (P) and sulfur atom (S). “O” represents an oxygen atom. “X” represents any one of hydroxyl group, CO 3  and halogen atom. Each “m”, “n”, “z” and “s” represents an integer number.    
   
   
       13 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 12 , wherein in the General Formula (1), “A” represents calcium (Ca), “B” represents phosphorus atom (P) and “X” represents a hydroxyl group, and the apatite comprising photocatalytic activity is calcium hydroxyapatite, Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (OH) 2 .  
   
   
       14 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 11 , wherein the metal atom necessary for obtaining photocatalytic activity is titanium (Ti).  
   
   
       15 . The photocatalytic fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the photocatalyst comprises an ultraviolet-absorbing metal atom.  
   
   
       16 . A fabric comprising: 
 a photocatalytic fiber,    wherein the fabric is formed by using the photocatalytic fiber, and the photocatalytic fiber comprises a photocatalyst being attached to the fiber.    
   
   
       17 . The fabric according to  claim 16 , wherein the fabric is any one of woven cloth, nonwoven cloth and paper.  
   
   
       18 . The fabric according to  claim 16 , wherein a residual ratio of the photocatalyst after washing to the attachment amount of the photocatalyst before washing when the photocatalyst is washed by means of an ultrasonic washing machine for 30 minutes, [attachment amount after washing (g)/attachment amount before washing (g)]×100 is 40% to 100%.  
   
   
       19 . A fabric product comprising: 
 a fabric,    wherein the fabric product is formed by using the fabric,    the fabric is formed by using the photocatalytic fiber, and    the photocatalytic fiber comprises a photocatalyst being attached to the fiber.    
   
   
       20 . The fabric product according to  claim 19 , wherein the fabric product is any one of protective mask, antidust mask, antibromic mask, sporting mask, medical cloth, bandage, gauze, curtain, carpet, wall paper, clothes, towel, sheets, bedding, filter and uniform.