Description

TITANIUM DIOXIDE Titanium dioxide also known as titania, is the most commonly used oxide of titanium with chemical formula Ti02. Pure titanium dioxide does not occur in nature but is derived from ilmenite (FeTiOsJ or leucoxene ores. Titanium dioxide is extracted from ilmenite by chemical processes via sulfate or chloride route John et al, 1999; Itoh et al, 2006]. It is also readily mined as rutile, its crystal modifications from mineral sand. The paramount interest in TiOa by researchers is due to the physical and chemical stability, non-toxicity, chemical and biological inertness, resistance to corrosion and low cost Hung et al, 2007]. Titania has wide range of apphcation as pigment to provide whiteness and opacity to products such as paints, coatings, plastics, paper, inks, foods, medicines as well as in most of the toothpastes because of its brightness and veiy high refractive index n = 2.7). Titania is used in cosmetics and skin care products, both as a pigment and a thickener. Almost every sunscreen preparation contains titania as a physical blocker due to the high refractive index, strong UV light absorbing capabilities and resistance to decoloration under UV light. As a result of high refractive index, titania is used as an anti-reflection coating in solar cells and in many thin-film optical devices. Because of the high photoreactivity and the photostability, titania is capable of decomposing large varieties of liquid and gas phase organic and inorganic compounds Wang et