Material Spotlight: Plasma Titanium Dioxide
Titanium dioxide or TiO2 is regarded as one of the most important white pigments in the coating industry. It has many great traits, including the ability to scatter visible light and impart opacity, brightness and whiteness (when the material is incorporated into a coating). In most cases, titanium dioxide is available in two crystal structures called rutile and anatase. Titanium dioxide coatings can be applied via a plasma spray coating process.
Understanding Plasma Titanium Dioxide
With a typical composition consisting of 99% (minimum) titanium dioxide and the chemical formula: TiO2, the coating material has a high melting point of approximately 1920°C (3490°F). The coating material is suited for a wide range of industrial applications where plasma disinfection and sterilization is required. That is why titanium dioxide can be used to manufacture plasma functional coatings that can be used in medical technologies, including aseptic instruments and surfaces.
Common Industrial Applications of Plasma Titanium Dioxide
Medical equipment is often subjected to direct exposure and contact with light. Some of this equipment are built with light-conducting surfaces and may allow biofilms to form on them. Medical professionals that want to prevent the formation of biofilm will opt to apply titanium dioxide coatings on these surfaces that they want to protect. Titanium Dioxide coatings can be combined with UV light technology to produce a germ killing effect.
Other notable application areas of plasma titanium dioxide coatings include:
- Photovoltaic cells
- Exhaust gas sensors
- Self-cleaning glass
- Exterior and interior building tiles
- Tent material
- Self-cleaning roof tiles
- Low-VOC systems
- Marine equipment
What is the Best Way to Finish Plasma Titanium Dioxide Coatings?
When it comes to finishing titanium dioxide coatings, an excellent option is wet grinding. At A&A Coatings, our 100 grit silicon carbide wheels are capable of performing cylindrical and surface grinding procedures.
What You Need to Know about Titanium Dioxide Surface Treatment
When working with titanium dioxide coating materials, knowing how to prevent crowding of TiO2 particles in highly pigmented systems is a must. The solution is to coat the pigment surface in a controlled manner. Only then, the surface coating can act as a “physical spacer” to separate adjacent TiO2 particles. Also, as pigment concentration increases, implementing the correct surface treatment techniques will help minimize losses in diffractive light scattering efficiency.
Using Plasma Titanium Dioxide for Thermal Spray Coatings
At A&A Coatings, we have a wealth of experience in providing thermal spray coating services. If you wish to find out if spray coating plasma titanium dioxide will be the best way to improve the quality and reliability of your products’ critical components; or you just want learn more about our in-house capabilities, including our plasma spray coating process as well as the plasma guns that we use, feel free to contact us today via phone or email you speak with one of our friendly representatives. You are even welcomed to schedule a consultation with us to discuss your industry-specific thermal spray needs.
