Sunlight for cleaning clothes

Researchers have developed self-cleaning wool, where all that is neededto get rid of stains and dirt is sunlight. Instead of throwing yourclothes in the washing machine, you'd just hang them up in the sun for a few hours.

Walid Daoud of Monash University in Melbourne led the research,which uses nanoparticles to achieve the self-cleaning effect. Thescientists altered the surface of the wool fibers so that they couldattach to a thin film of titanium dioxide nanoparticles.

Whenexposed to light, titanium dioxide nanoparticles naturally cleanthemselves. This is because light triggers an oxidation reaction thatdecomposes dirt and bacteria, but leaves wool and skin unharmed.

Becausethe nanoparticles are so tiny, they don't change the color of the wool.The researchers explained that different types of stains take differentamounts of time to go away. Coffee stains disappear after two hours,ink stains after 17 hours, and red wine - which is very difficult toget rid of - after 20 hours.

Source: inventorspot.comAdded: 18 March 2008