Next Big Thing – self-cleaning clothes

next big thing self cleaning clothes

What is this new devilry?
Chinese material engineers have created cotton that can break down stains when exposed to sunlight, allowing you to easily rinse off offending marks. No witchcraft or magic required – science be praised!

Okay then Mister Scientist. Spill the beans
It's all quite simple really. The cotton is dipped in to a nanoparticle cocktail consisting of titanium dioxide (which breaks down organic compounds) and silver iodide (which makes it sensitive enough for mere sunlight to get the job done).

No more skid marks then?
Indeed, but not for the time being. Silver iodide is toxic when ingested and can cause the skin to go blue – slightly major problems we think you'll agree, unless you're big on the Smurf look. Still, we'll let the boffins get back to their test tubes until they crack the magic formula. We can't wait...