Fiber including silica and metal oxide

Abstract

Techniques for coating a fiber with metal oxide include forming silica in the fiber to fix the metal oxide to the fiber. The coated fiber can be used to facilitate photocatalysis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fiber comprising:
 a silica phase formed in a core of the fiber; and   a crystalline metal oxide phase formed on the surface of the fiber, wherein the crystalline metal oxide phase is mesoporous.   
     
     
         2 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide phase comprises an oxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of Zn, Al, Y, Li, B, Na, Ba, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, W, Pt, Au, Ce and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide phase comprises a photocatalytic metal oxide. 
     
     
         4 . The fiber of  claim 1 , where the metal oxide phase comprises a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of V 2 O 3 , ZnO, ZrO 2 , SnO, WO, and Fe 2 O 3 . 
     
     
         5 . The fiber of  claim 1 , where the metal oxide phase comprises titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         6 . The fiber of  claim 5 , wherein the fiber further comprises a second metal oxide on the surface of the fiber. 
     
     
         7 . The fiber of  claim 6 , wherein the second metal oxide phase comprises a second metal oxide selected from the group consisting of V 2 O 3 , ZnO, ZrO 2 , SnO, WO, and Fe 2 O 3 . 
     
     
         8 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the fiber is about 1 mm or less. 
     
     
         9 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide phase comprises titanium dioxide, and the crystalline metal oxide phase is an anatase-type crystalline structure. 
     
     
         10 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide phase is chemically bonded to the silica phase. 
     
     
         11 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein a pore of the metal oxide phase has a diameter ranging from about 1 nm to about 50 nm. 
     
     
         12 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide phase has an effective surface area ranging from about 200 m 2 /g to about 3000 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising exposing the fiber of  claim 1  to ultraviolet light. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one fabric pad prepared from a fiber comprising silica and metal oxide, wherein the fiber comprises a silica phase formed in a core of the fiber, and wherein the fiber comprises a metal oxide phase formed on a surface of the fiber.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the metal oxide phase comprises at least one mesoporous metal oxide phase. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the metal oxide phase is crystalline. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the metal oxide comprises an oxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zn, Al, Y, Li, B, Na, Ba, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, W, Pt, Au, Ce and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein a diameter of the fiber is about 1 mm or less. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the fabric pad comprises a woven fabric pad. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one ultraviolet light source.