Self-cleaning fibers via nanotechnology : A virtual reality

With the fast-growing demand toward innovative functional and intelligent fibrous materials, the photocatalytic self-cleaning surface functionalization of fibers has universally aroused tremendous interest in recent years. Due to the promising properties of nanosized photosensitive substances in decomposing undesirable contaminants, intensive research has incessantly been conducted to explore their multi-functional properties and potential applications. This review paper intends to summarize recent developments of contemporary technologies, particularly emphasizing on the progress achieved in the past five years in the application of nanostructured titanium dioxide photocatalyst in fibrous materials. The fundamental concepts, limitation, societal impact and future prospects are also discussed. © 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.