Tile Council of North America’s (TCNA) Product Performance Testing Laboratory, in collaboration with StonePeak Ceramics, and Centro Ceramico Bologna, recently completed a research program with photo catalytic tiles produced through an innovative technology developed by StonePeak.

According to Jennifer Ariss, a research scientist at TCNA, the effects of titanium dioxide as a photocatalyst are well-established in scientific literature.

“Generally, its use can provide a meaningful reduction in organic and inorganic pollutants, self-cleaning properties through a reduction in water surface tension, and important anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties,” Ariss said.

“Photo catalysis is a simple chemical reaction, requiring only light and water to be activated.”

TCNA’s lab, in cooperation with Centro Ceramico Bologna, conducted research on three fronts: reduction of nitrogen oxides (a major component of urban air pollution); reduction of organic pollutants as measured by the indigo carmine test; and inhibition of bacterial growth.

Tiles treated with a micrometric titanium dioxide layer developed by StonePeak Ceramics were tested along with control samples provided by StonePeak Ceramics and TCNA.

A 70% reduction of nitrogen oxides was observed. In evaluations of antimicrobial properties using the photocatalytic StonePeak tiles, up to a 60% reduction of E. coli bacteria was observed compared to traditional porcelain surfaces. A 30% reduction on average of organic pollutants was observed in indigo carmine testing.

While titanium dioxide photocatalytic technology is employed in many industries, the methods of its application are often nanotechnology-based, which can pose considerable environmental and health hazards in the manufacturing process.

According to StonePeak, its novel technology using a micrometric application minimizes problems associated with previous application techniques for photocatalytic materials and increases the effect of the surface layer.

“Our lab is very pleased to present promising results from our testing of this new technology invented by StonePeak Ceramics. The potential benefits of photocatalytic tile products include improved air quality, clean ability and sanitation,” commented TCNA Executive Director Eric Astrachan.

NOTES:

Titanium dioxide, also known as titania is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium, chemical formula TiO2.

You will find Ti02 in all kinds of paint, printing ink, plastics, paper, synthetic fibers, rubber, condensers, painting colors and crayons, ceramics, electronic components along with food and cosmetics.

Photocatalyst

Many studies have been published on the use of TiO2 as a photocatalyst for the decomposition of organic compounds. TiO2 is active under UV light

Photocatalytic activity (PCA) is the ability of a material to create an electron hole pair as a result of exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The resulting free-radicals are very efficient oxidizers of organic matter. Photocatalytic activity in TiO2 has been extensively studied because of its potential use in sterilization, sanitation, and remediation applications. The ability to control PCA is important in many other applications utilizing TiO2 including paint pigments and cosmetics that require low PCA.

TiO2 coated tiles in a hospital environment showed the surface bacteria on the wall surfaces were reduced to zero, plus airborne bacteria counts were reduced.