Development of super-hydrophobic surface using Tio2 to reduce adverse effects of environmental pollutants on buildings

Abstract

The development of self-cleaning surfaces in recent years has been significant in preserving buildings from environmental contaminants and improving visual durability. Titanium dioxide (or titania), a photocatalyst, is used with cement to improve aesthetic durability and de-pollution properties. Super hydrophilic materials were developed by covering glass, ceramic tiles, or polymers with the semiconducting photocatalyst titanium dioxide (TiO2). Grease, grime, and organic pollutants disintegrate when TiO2 is exposed to light and are simply swept away by water (rain). Ink and vehicle smoke are utilised to evaluate the self-cleaning properties of TiO2-containing concretes, and the oxidation of carbons (COx), gaseous atmospheric pollutants responsible for acid rain and photochemical smog, is explored using nano titanium dioxide. The research allowed for the identification of photo-oxidation mechanisms of stain and COx on TiO2-containing cement, as well as parallels and differences with pure unsupported TiO2. Engineering TiO2 particles with certain crystallite sizes and modifying the photocatalyst electrokinetic properties by changing the overall pKa of the TiO2 surface have both been shown to be efficient approaches for controlling the attractive features of ion-ion correlation forces. The effects on applications in a concrete building, specifically on the exterior surface, to improve overall photocatalytic activity are reviewed. The experimental data on photocatalytic performances measured for regular and nano-coated samples are examined regarding photocatalyst qualities and the effect of cement's chemical environment on titania particles. The research allowed for the identification of photo-oxidation mechanisms of stain and COx on TiO2-containing cement, as well as parallels and differences with pure unsupported TiO2.