Sinoright Blog
Applications for Titanium Dioxide Materials
Application in Pigments and Coatings
Pigment grade titanium dioxide has high refractive index, strong achromatic power, large covering power, good dispersion, good whiteness, non-toxic, stable physical and chemical properties, and has excellent optical and electrical properties. The use of titanium dioxide accounts for more than 90% of all white pigments. As a pigment, it can play the role of colour enhancement, brightening and product quality improvement in industrial production. Titanium dioxide is more used in emulsion paint, coil and printing iron coating, automobile paint and powder coating. Among them, pigment grade titanium dioxide with particle size between 200~400nm not only has the properties of ultraviolet shielding, electrostatic shielding, abrasion and scratch resistance, but also improves the adhesion of the coating and prevents the coating from sagging.
Application in Textile and Chemical Fibre
Textile and chemical fibre is an important application of titanium dioxide, chemical fibre in general use of anatase titanium dioxide, can play the role of matting.TiO2 refractive index is higher, generally 0.2% to 0.5% of TiO2 added to synthetic fibres, you can achieve good matting effect.
Application in Cosmetics
TiO2 can absorb, reflect, scatter ultraviolet rays, can play the role of UV radiation, in the field of cosmetics has some potential for application. However, nano-TiO2 itself has a large specific surface energy, strong polarity, easy to agglomerate, which affects the practical application of the effect, so the nano-TiO2 is usually surface modified and then used in the field of cosmetics.
Application in Paper Industry
Paper is the third largest user of titanium dioxide. Decorative paper, bible paper and banknotes in general use of titanium dioxide, the use of titanium dioxide paper, whiteness is good, high strength, glossy, thin and smooth, printing does not penetrate, opacity under the same conditions than calcium carbonate, talcum powder, 10 times higher, the quality can also be reduced by 15% to 30%. Nano TiO2 applied in the paper industry, can play a role in making the paper colour bright, anti-ultraviolet, stable and not easy to return to the role of yellow.
Application in the Plastics Industry
Plastics industry is the second largest user of titanium dioxide, usually titanium dioxide consumption in the field of plastics accounted for 20% of the consumption of titanium dioxide applications. More than 500 grades of titanium dioxide in the world, there are more than 50 grades belong to the plastics speciality. The application of titanium dioxide in plastic products, in addition to the use of its high hiding power, high achromatic power and other pigment properties, it can also improve the heat resistance of plastic products, light resistance, weather resistance, so that the plastic products from ultraviolet rays, improve the mechanical and electrical properties of plastic products. Almost all thermosetting and thermoplastic plastics in the use of titanium dioxide, the general dosage of 1% to 5%, it can be mixed with the resin dry powder, but also with the liquid phase containing plasticisers, there are titanium dioxide first processed into a masterbatch before use.
Application in the Ink Industry
Titanium dioxide has good whiteness, small and uniform particle size, high refractive index, high colouring power and covering power, good physical and chemical stability, light diffusion, light resistance, heat resistance, weather resistance and hydrophobicity, etc. The characteristics of titanium dioxide make it not only an indispensable white pigment in the manufacture of printing ink, but also a necessary raw material for the mixing of many intermediate-colour printing ink products. The ink containing titanium dioxide is durable and does not change colour, has good surface wettability and is easy to disperse. The titanium dioxide used in the ink industry is rutile or anatase. Adding pigment grade TiO2 in water-based ink can make the ink have the advantages of strong colouring, easy dispersion, good durability and so on.
Application in Rubber Industry
Titanium dioxide in the rubber industry not only as a colouring agent, but also filler, anti-aging, acid and alkali resistance and reinforcing effect. In the white and light-coloured rubber products add titanium dioxide, finished products with slow aging, high strength, no cracking, no fading, stretch rate and acid and alkali resistance and so on. Titanium dioxide for rubber, mainly used in automobile tyres and rubber shoes, rubber flooring, gloves, sports equipment, etc., generally based on anatase. However, when used in the production of automobile tyres, in order to enhance its resistance to ozone and ultraviolet radiation, often adding a certain amount of rutile products.
Application in Food Industry
Nano TiO2 in the food industry as food packaging materials, can improve the quality of food storage, food preservation.
Application in Medical and Health Care
TiO2 photocatalytic material can destroy the cell wall and cell membrane of bacteria, thus playing the role of bactericidal disinfection. Nano TiO2 can decompose pathogenic bacteria and endotoxin, the use of TiO2 photocatalytic antimicrobial building materials in hospital wards, operating theatres and other places where bacteria proliferate, room temperature conditions will be able to degrade endotoxin on solid surfaces and in liquids. Another study shows that under light, TiO2 has a significant killing effect on cervical cancer cells, and has a lot of room for development in the treatment of tumours and other medical fields.
Applications in Batteries
Solar cell is a sustainable green energy source. Dye-sensitised solar cell (DSSC) has a good prospect for development because of its low cost, relatively simple production method, non-toxic, harmless and non-polluting.TiO2 can be used in the production of dye-sensitised solar cells, and the addition of nanoparticles of noble metals such as Au, Ag, or Pt on the surface of TiO2 electrodes and doping of non-metallic ions, and transition metal compatibilizers, can improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency of TiO2. TiO2 can also be used as an electronic buffer layer material in the calomel solar cell, as well as lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, such as anode materials.
Application in Hydrogen Production
Hydrogen is a clean and non-polluting energy source, and TiO2 photocatalytic materials have great potential for application in hydrogen production. The hydrogen-oxygen bond in the water molecule has a large bond energy, and a large energy is needed to decompose water, while TiO2 photocatalytic material can reduce the activation energy of water decomposition and make the reaction mild.
Application in Electronic Industry
Titanium dioxide in the electronics industry is mainly used in the manufacture of ceramic capacitors, piezoelectric ceramics, transparent electro-optical ceramics and other electronic components required for electronic ceramic materials, one of the important raw materials. Due to the electronic ceramic materials with titanium dioxide requires fine particles, large specific surface area, high reduction resistance, high dielectric constant and resistance, high purity, less impurities, therefore, the electronic industry is usually used for capacitors or reagents with titanium dioxide.