Scrutable

Sounds a bit wootastic to me. Thoughts?

https://www.intelligentliving.co/ikeas-curtains/

JQH wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 06, 2020 3:42 pm

Sounds a bit wootastic to me. Thoughts?

https://www.intelligentliving.co/ikeas-curtains/

I don’t know, I’ve seen similar claims about building coatings for outdoor use before now. Not for a while though.

JQH wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 06, 2020 3:42 pm

Sounds a bit wootastic to me. Thoughts?

https://www.intelligentliving.co/ikeas-curtains/

A press release type thing mentions lab tests, but I'm having trouble finding anything else about them clicky

Yeah, all I could find were puff-pieces

The obvious problem with claims for outdoor surfaces for cleaning air is the ratio of surface area to volume is tiny, so you just aren't going to clean a discernable amount of air even if your gadget works. For indoor use, the large surface area of curtains and relatively static air might be sufficient to make a difference, assuming they actually have a chemical effect at all.

The other thing about indoor air quality is there is a complex cocktail of diverse substances which are poorly characterised and whose health effects, especially at low concentrations, is poorly understood. They appear to be trying to degrade VOCs, which is certainly a good thing, but I dunno if the chemistry is feasible.

A quick DuckDuckGo shows that TiO2 coatings are what I was thinking of. They depend on UV and rain though, both of which are in short supply behind a window.

https://www.youris.com/nano/environment ... llution.kl

Grumble wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 06, 2020 5:48 pm

A quick DuckDuckGo shows that TiO2 coatings are what I was thinking of. They depend on UV and rain though, both of which are in short supply behind a window.

https://www.youris.com/nano/environment ... llution.kl

I was thinking that it wouldn't work if relying on UV too, this also applies to wavelengths that are too long. For it to work with both natural light through a window and lightbulbs, it'd have to be using visible, or near infra-red.

But yeah, photocatalysts are things, but whether one can do the job effectively like Ikea claim is another matter.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000jxvp
9:34

jimbob wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 07, 2020 10:08 pm

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000jxvp
9:34

Interesting, I wonder what the efficacy/cost balance is compared with say polished brass or bronze.

TiO₂ coated fabrics have been used before e.g. Catalytic Poetry and Catalytic Clothing.

The intention in those was to oxidise e.g. NO_x to HNO₃ which requires UV and then water to wash away the acid formed. Fine for your jeans that are regularly worn outside and washed. How often do you wash your curtains? Personally, never.

Sciolus wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 06, 2020 5:37 pm

The obvious problem with claims for outdoor surfaces for cleaning air is the ratio of surface area to volume is tiny, so you just aren't going to clean a discernable amount of air even if your gadget works. For indoor use, the large surface area of curtains and relatively static air might be sufficient to make a difference, assuming they actually have a chemical effect at all.

Depends on how you use it. Setting up large panels next to roads specifically for the purpose? Probably not worth the hassle. Impregnating clothing so that everyone is walking around cleansing the air as they go may have some benefit.

That said, it is the same technology as Pilkington self-cleaning glass so you would expect that to have some effect in cities.

Some of the advertising for these curtains has suggested that they also increase oxygen levels indoors (some of the press coverage talks about how they "mimic the process of photosynthesis").

However, this part seems to be missing from the description on the IKEA page...

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/gunrid-air ... -00459220/

Just caught the text of one of their Facebook ads for these curtains. I was wrong - it's worded in a crafty way so as not to promise higher oxygen levels...

Better oxygen levels in your bedroom improve sleep quality. So draw your air purifying curtains closed tonight and paint the town red tomorrow.