SBIR Phase II: Improving Indoor Air Quality using a Biosilica Based Functional Paint & Coatings Photocatalyst

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是，它将提供下一代商业方法来去除室内空气中的挥发性有机污染物（VOCs），如苯、甲醛和二氯甲烷。这些化合物是潜在的致癌物，也会加剧过敏、哮喘和其他呼吸系统问题。室内空气质量一般比室外空气质量差5倍，室内普遍存在挥发性有机化合物，因为它们来自地毯、粘合剂、塑料制品、典型的家用化学清洁剂和电子产品。儿童对挥发性有机化合物特别敏感，由于在室内度过的时间较长，室内环境构成更大的健康风险。减轻由VOCs等环境空气污染物造成的日常不适和经济负担，可以显著改善人类的健康和舒适度。据估计，美国每年的经济负担约为500亿美元。这项新技术的开发和商业部署也将提高对纳米技术制造的科学理解。这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目将重点验证生物硅基光催化剂的能力，通过将光催化剂添加到地板和地毯涂层中，减少室内环境中的总挥发性有机化合物，从而积极持续地改善室内空气质量。挥发性有机化合物以气体形式从某些固体和液体中排放出来，其中包括可能对健康造成短期和长期不利影响的化学物质——特别是在室内，其浓度可能比室外高10倍。该项目将测试这种独特添加剂应用于地板和地毯涂层系统时的性能，以减少总挥发性有机化合物，并将验证生产工艺，以实现商业生产所需的大规模生产。该技术的工作原理是首先吸附挥发性有机化合物，然后将其降解为二氧化碳和水。在模拟典型室内环境的测试室中，涂层表面将通过对空气污染物的连续监测进行评估。预计该项目的最终成果将包括验证用于多种产品的voc降解添加剂和纳米制造工艺的先进知识。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is that it will provide a next-generation commercial method of removing volatile organic contaminants (VOCs) such as benzene, formaldehyde and methylene chloride from indoor air. These compounds are potential carcinogens and also exacerbate allergies, asthma, and other respiratory problems. Indoor air quality is generally 5 times worse than outdoor air quality, and VOCs are prevalent indoors because they are emitted from carpets, adhesives, plastic products, typical household chemical cleaners and electronics. Children are especially sensitive to VOCs, and indoor environments pose greater health risks because of the time spent indoors. Alleviating the daily discomfort and financial burdens, estimated at around $50 billion annually in the U.S., posed by environmental air pollutants such as VOCs can significantly improve human health and comfort. The development and commercial deployment of this new technology will also provide enhanced scientific understanding of manufacturing for nanotechnologies. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will focus on validating the ability of a biosilica-based photocatalyst to actively and continuously improve indoor air quality by reducing total VOCs found in indoor environments when the photocatalyst is added to floor and carpet coatings. VOCs are emitted as gases from certain solids and liquids, and they include chemicals potentially causing short- and long-term adverse health effects--especially indoors, where concentrations may be up to ten times higher than outdoors. This project will test the performance of this unique additive when applied to floor and carpet coating systems to reduce total VOCs and will validate manufacturing processes to achieve scale-up quantities needed for commercial production. The technology works by first adsorbing VOCs and then degrading them to CO2 and H2O. Coated surfaces in test chambers simulating a typical indoor environment will be evaluated via continuous monitoring of airborne pollutants. It is anticipated that the ultimate deliverables of this project would include validation of a VOC-degrading additive for multiple products and advanced knowledge of nano-manufacturing processes.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.