A Review on the Use of Titanium Dioxide in Self-cleaning Technology Applied in Building

Abstract

Buildings are exposed to various types of organic materials ranging from bird droppings to vehicle emissions where the combustion of fuel continuously makes buildings dirty and also pollute the air we breathe. Buildings are now able to clean themselves and the air around them. The main idea for self-cleaning technology is to make the surface superhydrophilic. On the superhydrophilic surface, the water spreads on it completely forming a very thin layer of water. As the layer of water flows off the surface, it flushes out any contaminants. Photocatalytic self-cleaning coatings are used for building façade. Titanium-dioxide (TiO2) metal coating is applied on building walls and glass windows, which helps them clean themselves. Because of special properties of Titanium dioxide nano particles, it can be used to realize transparent self-cleaning coatings. There are many researches which are focused on the using of Titanium dioxide as a self-cleaning coating for sustainable buildings. In this paper a review on the use of Titanium dioxide coating technology and the methods of applying it, is presented to throw light on this field and feasibility of using this technology in Saudi Arabia country