Titanium dioxide
General
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|---|---|
| Name | Titanium (IV) oxide |
| Chemical formula | TiO2 |
| Appearance | White solid |
Physical
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| Formula weight | 79.9 amu |
| Melting point | ~2103 K (1830 °C) |
| Boiling point | ~2773 K (2500 °C) |
| Density | 4.2 ×103 kg/m3 |
| Crystal structure | rutile |
| Solubility | insoluble |
Thermochemistry
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| ΔfH0gas | -249 kJ/mol |
| ΔfH0liquid | -879 kJ/mol |
| ΔfH0solid | -944 kJ/mol |
| S0solid | 51 J/mol·K |
Safety
| |
| Ingestion | Low hazard for accidental ingestion. |
| Inhalation | Irritating, dangerous in the long term. |
| Skin | Low hazard. |
| Eyes | Low hazard. |
| More info | Hazardous Chemical Database |
| SI units were used where possible. Unless otherwise stated, standard conditions were used. | |
Pure titanium dioxide does not occur in nature but is derived from ilmenite or leuxocene ores. It is also readily mined in one of the purest forms, rutile beach sand.
An important use of titanium dioxide is in powder form as a pigment for providing whiteness and opacity to such products such as paints and coatings but also plastics, paper, inks, food and cosmetics, including most toothpastes. Titanium dioxide is by far the most widely used white pigment, it is very white and has a very high refractive index — only surpassed by diamond. The high refractive index and bright white colour of titanium dioxide make it an effective opacifier for pigments. One of its other major advantages is its resistance to discoloration under UV light.
