Biooptical and biofunctional properties, applications and methods of polylactic acid films

Abstract

High surface energy materials with low refractive index and UV transparency wherein multilayers of similar or dissimilar materials are thermally fused together to form various functional optical requirements are provided. In some embodiments, a photocatalytic biopolymer structure comprising of a UV transparent biopolymer in integrating fused nanophotocatalytic minerals such as Tio2 used for various applications is provided. Many embodiments are based on the integration of nanophotocatalytic minerals fused to a biopolymer structure in which the biopolymer structure is UV transparent (UVT) and allows UV light to be transmitted through the biopolymer structure activating the nanophotocatalytic fused layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ultraviolet transparent (UVT) biopolymer photocatalytic structure comprising:
 a UVT biopolymer layer;   a nanophotocatalytic layer in contact with the UVT biopolymer layer; and   a fixed UV source positioned such that light in a uv spectra from the UV source reaches the UV transparent biopolymer layer;   wherein the UV spectra can be transmitted though the UVT biopolymer structure to activate the nanophotocatalytic layer.   
     
     
         2 . The UVT biopolymer photocatalytic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the UV source is a fluorescent bulb. 
     
     
         3 . The UVT biopolymer photocatalytic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the UV source is a UV light emitting diode. 
     
     
         4 . The UVT biopolymer photocatalytic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the UV source is direct sunlight. 
     
     
         5 . The UVT biopolymer photocatalytic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the UVT biopolymer layer comprises modified acrylics. 
     
     
         6 . The UVT biopolymer photocatalytic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the UVT biopolymer layer comprises polylactic acid. 
     
     
         7 . The UVT biopolymer photocatalytic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the UVT biopolymer layer comprises fluoropolymers. 
     
     
         8 . The UVT biopolymer photocatalytic structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a filler in one of the UVT biopolymer layer or the nanophotocatalytic layer. 
     
     
         9 . The UVT biopolymer photocatalytic structure of  claim 8 , wherein the filler is fused quartz. 
     
     
         10 . The UVT biopolymer photocatalytic structure of  claim 8 , wherein the filler is sapphire. 
     
     
         11 . The UVT biopolymer photocatalytic structure of  claim 8 , wherein the filler is nanosilica. 
     
     
         12 . The UVT biopolymer photocatalytic structure of  claim 1 , further comprising glass in one of the UVT biopolymer layer or the nanophotocatalytic layer. 
     
     
         13 . The UVT biopolymer photocatalytic structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a filler in one of the UVT biopolymer layer or the nanophotocatalytic layer. 
     
     
         14 . The UVT biopolymer photocatalytic structure of  claim 1 , wherein activation of the nanophotocatalytic layer reduces ambient bacteria, viruses, VOC, or odors.