Published in Chemistry World, 7 Mar 2012
Crystals of lithium niobate and lithium tantalate powdered and formulated as nanoparticles can act as a disinfectant, killing bacteria at only moderate temperatures, according to researchers in Germany. The crystal powders, which convert warmth into electrical energy and then chemical energy via the pyroelectric effect, could one day be used to disinfect air or water using just heat from the powder’s surroundings.
Recent years have seen a rising demand for simple and cheap disinfection methods, partly to address world health problems and partly to put less strain on the environment. One new method is to use high, pulsed electric fields to kill microorganisms. Another relies on oxygen-based semiconductors, such as titanium dioxide, which form reactive, bacteria-killing oxygen species on exposure to light. Such semiconductors have already been applied to specialist windows, which can then self-clean in the daytime. […]
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