Research - Helen Storey

Catalytic Clothing - a new way to purify air

Rather than seeking out ways to proof the garment have less environmental impacts, Helen Storey brings out an idea to make the clothes that actually able to have a positive impact on the environment.

Catalyst clothing is a project shared by the two founders: Professor Tony Ryan, a scientist from the University of Sheffield, and Professor Helen Storey, a designer and artist from the London College of Fashion. Together they are working at the nexus of fashion and science, one that draws on the growing field of nanotechnology to create a fabric additive that can break down pollutants in the air.

The dress is impregnated with a photocatalyst that uses light to break down air-borne pollution into harmless chemicals. This substance could be added to clothes as part of the fabric conditioner in a normal washing cycle.

How does it work:

In chemical, catalyst is a term used to describe something that makes a reaction proceed at a greater rate but isnʼt actually consumed during that reaction. A photocatalyst gains the energy it needs to be active from light. That means to active reaction of the catalyst clothing, just simply walking in the sunshine.

When the light shines on the photocatalyst, the electrons in the material are rearranged and they become more reactive. These electrons are then able to react with the water in the air and break it apart into 2 radicals. A radical is an extremely reactive molecule. These radicals then react with the pollutants and cause them to break down into non-harmful chemicals.

The Catalytic Clothing technology is designed to breakdown the pollutants straight away. However, some pollutants may become attached without being broken down. In this case, the pollutants will be washed off during subsequent laundering. This actually already happens with normal clothing.

Impact:
According to Ryan, 4 people wearing catalyzed jeans in a day would neutralize the nitric oxide air pollution created by one car. 25 people wearing the jeans would undo the damage done in a day by a mass transit bus.

Benefits:

• can be easily apply during laundry
• can be massive  produce in both laundry & clothing industry
• eco-friendly

Disadvantage:

• one garment can only create tiny impact, need large amount of participation
• need to add onto the surface during each time of the laundry?
• Can this technology apply to other products
• Can it apply on any kind of textile?
• Costly?

Resources:
http://www.dezeen.com/2011/06/15/catalytic-clothing-by-helen-storey-and-tony-ryan/
http://www.sustainable-fashion.com/projects/catalytic-clothing/
http://style.time.com/2013/04/22/catalytic-clothing-an-unconventional-collaboration-explores-fabrics-that-can-purify-the-air/
http://www.catalytic-clothing.org/faq.html