Kemira Taking Photoactive TiO2 Into Visible Spectrum

24 March 2003 00:00  [Source: ICB Americas]

Kemira plans to expand production of photoactive titanium dioxide (TiO2) to open new markets for the material in areas such as self-cleaning surfaces, water treatment and air purification.

As Kemira moves out of the market for commodity TiO2, its 130,000 metric ton-per-year TiO2 plant at Pori, Finland, is becoming predominantly a producer of specialty materials.

The company is using nanotechnology, first applied to rutile TiO2 about 10 years ago, to develop photoactive TiO2 from anatase grades. Whereas commercially available photoactive TiO2 responds to ultraviolet light, anatase TiO2 nanocrystals react to visible light, making possible a range of new applications.

"We are already making commercial quantities for some applications," explains Tommy Book, a product manager at Kemira. "We now have several new ones in the development pipeline."

Kemira is currently involved in a research project on anatase photoactive TiO2 that involves the Technical Research Center of Finland and Tampere University of Technology.

"At the moment, the biggest market for these photoactive materials is in self-cleaning surfaces, in which the glass manufacturers have been taking a lead," says Mr. Book.

The company has been talking to Pilkington PLC, St. Helens, England, one of Europe's largest glass manufacturers, which has been working on its own materials for making self-cleaning surfaces.

Kemira has also been looking at the use of photoactive TiO2 for the treatment of waste water from industrial plants. "[It] could be used, for example, to decompose pesticide residues, hormones and otherwise stable substances such as chlorinated compounds, toluene, various polyaromatics and organic pigments in small quantities of water," says Mr. Book.

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