SBIR Phase I: Removal of VOCs using Novel Photocatalytic Table-Top Luminaires

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is establishment of sustainable, cost-effective technology to mitigate local volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) and other indoor air pollutants by using photocatalysts to effectively destroy them at their point of generation. VOC exposure is pervasive in many commercial environments, including nail salons, where employees work with materials that emit VOCs which can pose health risk without adequate protection. The proposed innovation addresses key gaps limiting the successful application of photocatalysts to these environments, specifically the need to eliminate by-products that may form during VOC destruction and the use of visible light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as alternatives to the harmful ultraviolet (UV) lights currently employed for photocatalysis. Novel photocatalytic materials will be applied to achieve safe, facile implementation at the point of exposure in commercial activities where employees are directly impacted. An improved understanding of the activity of innovative photocatalysts in the visible light range will enhance the overall understanding of photocatalytic materials. The technology will also form the core foundation of high performance and attractive residential products, which will improve indoor air quality in homes. Together, these applications hold the promise to broadly impact society by providing improved health for millions of people. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to improve indoor air quality by developing a technology platform to enable efficient and effective point-of-use VOC removal in commercial, residential, and select industrial environments. Photocatalysts are widely known as effective chemical scrubbers and disinfectants. When exposed to UV light, the surfaces become chemically active via formation of reactive oxygen species. This surface chemistry has been proven effective to decompose toxic VOCs and to kill spores, bacteria, and viruses. Because it is harmful to humans, the use of UV light to activate the photocatalyst greatly limits implementation of this technology. Additionally, ineffective photocatalyst designs can result in incomplete decomposition of the VOCs. The goal of the current research is to develop a visible-LED-activated photocatalyst engineered to completely convert target VOCs to carbon dioxide and water. The improvements to the photocatalyst design will enable its implementation in luminaires that are easily integrated into the work environment at the point of VOC generation. The decomposition of VOCs at concentrations typically found in commercial and home environments will be explored using the developed photocatalyst, with particular attention given to the mitigation of by-products and the enhancement of photocatalyst lifetime.