What is Titanium dioxide (TiO2)?
Titanium dioxide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula TiO2.
Titanium dioxide is composed of a barium cation and a sulfate anion. The sulfur is attached to four oxygen atoms. TiO2 is a sulfate salt of barium and is found as the mineral barite. It is a crystalline solid white in colour which is insoluble in water and alcohol but soluble in concentrated acids. It is odourless.
Titanium dioxide is an alkaline, divalent metal. It is non-toxic and safe for medical use. It is widely used in the production of oil and natural gas to get high-density drilling fluids by keeping the boreholes free of rock.
Table of Contents
- Properties of Titanium Dioxide
- Structure of Titanium dioxide (TiO2)
- Uses of TiO2
- Frequently Asked Questions
Properties of Titanium Dioxide
| TiO2 | Titanium dioxide |
| Molecular Weight/ Molar Mass | 233.38 g/mol |
| Density | 4.5 g/cm³ |
| Boiling Point | 1,600 °C |
| Melting Point | 1,580 °C |
Structure of Titanium dioxide (TiO2)
Structure of Titanium dioxide
Uses of TiO2
- It is used in the casting of copper anode plates as a coating material.
- It is used as a radiopaque agent.
- It is used as a component in oil well drilling fluids.
- It is used to increase the density of the polymer by acting as a filler for plastics.
- Used to test the pH of the soil.
- Used as a filler or to modify the consistency in oil paints.
- It is used in imaging of the GI tract during barium meal.
- Used to diagnose certain disorders of the intestines, stomach, or oesophagus.
- It is used in the manufacturing of alloys.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is titanium dioxide used for?
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a naturally occurring mineral used as a bright white pigment for painting, as a colouring in the food industry, in sunscreens and cosmetics, and in many industrial applications.
Why is titanium dioxide used in toothpaste?
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is widely used to enhance the colour and brightness of food items in white. TiO2 is also used in other products including toothpaste as a white pigment. Recent experiments with TiO2 show that these particles have the ability to have toxic effects.
Is titanium dioxide an oxidizing agent?
Advanced Oxidation Process is an emerging technology for water purification which makes use of different oxidising agents and titanium dioxide is one among them.
What type of bond is present in titanium dioxide?
Titanium dioxide has the formula TiO2. Titanium is a transition metal and oxygen is a non-metal. Studies have reported, Ti-O bond has both ionic and covalent character.
What are the safety concerns to be taken during the usage of titanium dioxide?
Titanium dioxide is not harmful. But nanoparticles of this are reported as ‘ can be carcinogenic’. In the dusty titanium oxide environments, it caused impaired lung clearance, cell injury, fibrosis, mutations and ultimately cancer among rats which could be similar in humans also.
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