The Role of the Surface in the Behaviour of Titanium Dioxide Pigments

A review is presented on the relevance of surface properties in pigment behaviour. It is shown that the majority of titanium dioxide pigments in use have a coating of some other oxide. whose principal role is the formation of an energy barrier for the transfer of excited species from the bulk phase to the organic coating of the paint film. Results of recent studies of dispersion properties and durability of paints against photo-degradation are discussed