2023-08-22 12:45:41
A revolutionary invention will allow lampshades to be given a second function. Thanks to a special coating, the heat given off by a lamp is able to interact with the screen coating and convert volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in the air in a room into harmless substances.
Volatile organic compounds are the main form of pollution present in indoor air. These compounds, including acetaldehyde and formaldehyde, are emitted by paints, cleaning products, air fresheners, plastics, furniture, as well as cooking, among other processes and products.
The team including Hyoung-il Kim and Minhyung Lee, from Yonsei University in South Korea, have designed the coating to work with halogen and incandescent lamps, but are already working on making it work with LED lamps as well. .
Although the concentration of VOCs in a home or office is low, many people spend more than 90% of their time indoors, so the total long-term exposure is significant, Kim argues.
Conventional methods for removing VOCs from indoor air rely on activated carbon or other types of filters, which must be replaced periodically.
This catalyst-coated lampshade uses the heat from your incandescent bulb to remove VOCs from indoor air. (Photo: Minhyung Lee)
Other devices have been developed that break down volatile organic compounds with the help of thermocatalysts activated by high temperatures or with light-responsive photocatalysts. But, as Kim argues, most of these gadgets require a separate heater or ultraviolet light source, which can produce unwanted byproducts.
Kim, Lee, and their colleagues preferred to adopt a simpler approach, requiring only a normal-light lamp as a heat source and coating the lampshade with a thermocatalyst.
Kim’s team has publicly presented their ingenious invention at a recent ACS (American Chemical Society) meeting. (Source: NCYT from Amazings)
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