Discover Nitto's Visible-Light-Responsive Photocatalyst technology. This air purification technology reacts to visible light, including LED illumination, to effectively decompose VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and eliminate odors. Explore its mechanism, key features, and how it differs from conventional photocatalyst technologies.
Visible-Light-Responsive Photocatalyst decomposes VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and odor-causing substances under LED illumination. It requires no UV light and continuously decomposes contaminants without adsorption saturation, helping enhance the deodorization and air purification performance of air purifiers and filters. Leverage Nitto's integrated technology package, combining advanced materials, implementation expertise, and performance evaluation capabilities, to differentiate your products in the market.
Nitto’s Visible-Light-Responsive Photocatalyst is an innovative technology that overcomes the limitations of conventional photocatalysts and delivers high activity even under LED illumination, enabling a fundamental improvement in indoor air quality.
When exposed to visible light, such as LED illumination, the catalyst surface generates highly reactive radicals, including hydroxyl radicals (・OH) . These radicals efficiently oxidize and decompose VOCs and odor-causing substances, ultimately converting them into harmless CO2 and water, resulting in air purification. This process is supported by a unique material design that responds to visible light, complemented by a structural design that maximizes reaction efficiency within the filter. At Nitto, we quantify radical generation and analyze the underlying reaction mechanisms, clearly demonstrating the scientific basis of this technology.
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Nitto's Visible-Light-Responsive Photocatalyst Technology offers a unique advantage that goes beyond material development. Its integrated package combines implementation, evaluation, and application verification to support customers' product development and differentiation.
Various air purification technologies are available on the market, but Nitto's Visible-Light-Responsive Photocatalyst offers clear advantages in terms of long-lasting performance, versatility, and safety.
| Competing Technology | Key Challenges | Nitto’s Advantages |
|---|---|---|
| Activated Carbon | VOC adsorption eventually reaches saturation, requiring regular filter replacement and increasing maintenance costs. | VOCs are fundamentally decomposed into CO2 and other harmless substances, enabling long-term, maintenance-free operation and reducing the frequency of filter replacement. |
| UV Photocatalysts and UV Technologies | UV light sources, which may pose risks to human health, are required, resulting in strict safety requirements and restrictions on installation environments. | Active under LED illumination, enabling energy-efficient and safe operation across a wide range of environments. |
| Ozone, Hypochlorous Acid, and Plasma | Concerns remain regarding safety and environmental impact, including the generation of characteristic odors and by-products. | A clean reaction process that decomposes VOCs into CO2 and other harmless substances, minimizing by-products and enabling safe air purification. |
Nitto's Visible-Light-Responsive Photocatalyst provides solutions that meet customers' specific needs across a wide range of industries and product applications.
This field is the top-priority market where Nitto’s technological strengths best align with market needs.
Nitto provides a technology that helps extend food freshness and reduce food waste through ethylene decomposition and mold suppression.
For antibacterial applications such as medical devices and antibacterial films, Nitto provides solutions that deliver long-lasting antibacterial and disinfection effects, helping reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections through a safe, drug-free approach.
Through fundamental research in advanced fields such as artificial photosynthesis and ammonia decomposition, Nitto has explored the potential applications of Visible-Light-Responsive Photocatalysts and accumulated valuable technical assets, including related expertise and evaluation technologies.
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Nitto integrates material, implementation, and evaluation technologies to support the incorporation of this technology into customers' products and systems through licensing. Please refer to the list below for patents related to this technology.
| Patent No | LINK | Others |
|---|---|---|
| US11511267.B2 | LINK of patent information | ― |
| US10583421.B2 | LINK of patent information | ― |
| US10556230.B2 | LINK of patent information | ― |
| US10464055.B2 | LINK of patent information | ― |
| US10213780.B2 | LINK of patent information | ― |
| US10201809.B2 | LINK of patent information | ― |
| US10549268.B2 | LINK of patent information | ― |
| US10391482.B2 | LINK of patent information | ― |
| US9987621.B2 | LINK of patent information | ― |
The information on this page is based on the information as of August, 2026, and the patent rights status may differ from the latest status.
The following is an example of the flow for utilizing Nitto's patents.
Nitto is looking for partners and companies who want to use our patents to create a better future together.
If your company is interested in using Nitto's patents, please contact us through the inquiry form.
Intellectual Property Department 3, Technology and IP Strategy Division
