|
|
Article: Titanium dioxide hogs the spotlight.(uses and research results)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- July 14, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
In their unending quest to improve day-to-day life, researchers have processed a common pigment into a form that could lead to new generations of self-sterilizing bathroom tiles and antifog mirrors.
Each year, the United States produces some 1.5 million tons of titanium dioxide, a powder that's widely used as a sunscreen and a white pigment for paints. In the past few years, chemists have also found that coatings of titanium dioxide can kill bacteria, catalyze the breakdown of dirt and toxic pollutants, and prevent water from building into tiny, fog-forming beads (SN: 3/21/98, p. 186).
But there's a catch. Materials containing titanium dioxide--whether ...