My late ex-husband called that a wife...
Posted on 02/08/2006 10:12:06 AM PST by LibWhacker
Cleaning bathrooms may become a thing of the past with new coatings that will do the job for you.
Researchers at the University of New South Wales are developing new coatings they hope will be used for self-cleaning surfaces in hospitals and the home.
Led by Professor Rose Amal and Professor Michael Brungs of the ARC Centre for Functional Nanomaterials, a research team is studying tiny particles of titanium dioxide currently used on outdoor surfaces such as self-cleaning windows.
The particles work by absorbing ultraviolet light below a certain wavelength, exciting electrons and giving the particles an oxidising quality stronger than any commercial bleach.
These nanoparticles then kill microbes and break down organic compounds. And because surfaces coated with titanium dioxide have another property called 'superhydrophilicity' -- meaning droplets do not form -- water runs straight off the surface, washing as it goes.
Presently, titanium dioxide can only be activated by the UVA present in sunlight. But the UNSW team is working on ways to activate titanium dioxide with indoor light.
The team is modifying titanium dioxide nanoparticles with other elements such as iron and nitrogen so they can absorb light at longer wavelengths.
Lab trials show that glass coated with the new nanoparticles can be activated by visible light from a lamp to kill Escherchia coli.
"If you've got this on tiles or shower screens you don't need so many chemical agents," says Professor Amal.
So far the team has been working at laboratory scale. "It's probably a year before we can talk to industry and test outside the lab," says Professor Amal.
how about some nanoparticles to improve those boys aim?
i'd sign up for that! ;)
Seattle has placed some of these self cleaning toilets around town - to be used by the homeless (Winos). Cost if I remember, was over $200,000 each. As much as taxpayers complained about the cost the city did it anyway.
Great! Now if we can only make people flush the toilets when they get through. Women don't flush public johns because, they don't like to touch the 'dirty' handle. They leave the flushing to the next one using it. I hate that!
WOW! THAT'S a 1950's kitchen??? Cool!
You know what might cure that? Threaten to sit and watch them EVERY time they go in to the bathroom. Their "missing" might end verrrrry quickly. Also, make THEM clean up.
Man! Have they never heard of tissue over the handle??? I think that's just plain laziness. You're right, it's disgusting!
My late ex-husband called that a wife...
A bathroom that cleans itself?! That's what I need!
With 2 shedding black dogs in the house.
Their effluvia will now be sterile.
I read an article last year about something very similar from the Japanese. They have developed tiles, paint, etc. that repel germs. It's a great idea. I think it won't be long before this type of material is on the market.
Oh, do tell me about this removable seat? And what is up with them (my two boys) not being able to hit the toilet???
I actually want someone to design a giant funnel that fits into the toilet.
Or an absorbent pad that fits around the toilet base (including the back of the base) that can then be picked up and thrown away.
Or a stand-alone stand-up urinal that you can hook up to the toilet until your boys learn to aim.
When it scrubs and vacuums itself, get back to me!
So do I...just wear your clothes into the shower.
This is more cool than the attachment you screw on the bed to keep the house clean.
Somehow, I'm not sure I'd want to live in (even a very clean) toilet. What if I accidentally flushed my self ?
Amen. I swear it took us 3 different models, and countless cat "incidents" to figure out the thing didn't like the self cleaning litterbox. I swear... @#$%!
YOu don't know HOW much you have made my day, Kimmers. Now I have to get to work inventing my other ideas for handling stray streams of pee.
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