Abstract

Titanium dioxide is one of the best described photosensitive materials used in photocatalysis, solar cells, self-cleaning coatings, and sunscreens. The scientific and industrial attention has been focused on the highly photoactive crystalline phase of titanium dioxide (TiO2). It is commonly accepted that the smaller TiO2 particles, the higher photoactivity they present. Therefore, titanium dioxide nanoparticles are massively produced and widely used in everyday products. The amorphous phase of titanium dioxide has been treated with neglect, as the lack of its photocatalytic properties is assumed in advance. In this work, the complex experimental proof of the UV-protective properties of the nano-sized amorphous TiO2 phase is reported. Amorphous n-TiO2 is characterized by photocatalytic inactivity and, as a consequence, low cytotoxicity to fibroblast cells. When exposed to UV radiation, cells with amorphous TiO2 better survive under stress conditions. Thus, we postulate that amorphous n-TiO2 will be more beneficial and completely safe for cosmetic applications. Moreover, the results from in situ FTIR studies let us correlate the low toxicity of amorphous samples with low ability to form hydroperoxo surface species.

Highlights

  • Titanium dioxide (TiO2) seems to be a well-characterized material used in many branches of industry because of its photocatalytic properties

  • Generated molecules of free radicals and other reactive oxygen species can interact, e.g., with pollutants to neutralize them. Both rutile and anatase are presented in a number of publications as pure, doped, or composite materials, and every single modification leads to improving their photocatalytic activity in UV or visible light, or expanding their pollution removal efficiency with more chemical substances [2]

  • As highlighted in the introduction, we aimed to explain on a molecular level the photocatalytic inactivity and low cytotoxicity of A-n-TiO2

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Summary

Introduction

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) seems to be a well-characterized material used in many branches of industry because of its photocatalytic properties. The majority of studies on TiO2 concern the crystalline phases (anatase, rutile, and brookite) that are known to be highly photoactive, stable, and noncorrosive, and are, largely used in industrial and consumer products [1]. Generated molecules of free radicals and other reactive oxygen species can interact, e.g., with pollutants to neutralize them. Both rutile and anatase are presented in a number of publications as pure, doped, or composite materials, and every single modification leads to improving their photocatalytic activity in UV or visible light, or expanding their pollution removal efficiency with more chemical substances [2]

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