Now if your an Aussie, I am sure you have seen the Bluescope Steel add about how it stands up to the test of time & the elements – but a little bit of titanium dioxide & it’s all over!!!

A dense, white, opaque pigment composed of a mixture of Zinc sulfide (30%) and Barium sulfate (70%) with trace amounts of Zinc oxide. Lithopone, first produced in 1874, was called Orr's white. The mixture of the two components is so intimate that it is hard to distinguish microscopically. Lithopone is an inert, transparent pigment which is often used as a filler or as a base for lake pigments. Lithopone was widely used in house paints in the first half of the 20th century. It was also used for some artist grounds, inks and as a filler in Paper, Leather, and Linoleum. Now lithopone has mostly been replaced by Titanium dioxide.

White powder

Is Titanium Dioxide Safe?

Nanotoxicology “focuses on determining the adverse effects of nanomaterials on human health and the environment.”

Overall, the Food Directorate's comprehensive review of the available science of TiO₂ as a food additive showed:

Although barium sulfate is almost completely inert, zinc sulfide degrades upon exposure to UV light, leading to darkening of the pigment. The severity of this UV reaction is dependent on a combination of two factors; how much zinc sulfide makes up the pigments formulation, and its total accumulated UV exposure. Depending on these factors the pigment itself can vary in shade over time, ranging from pure white all the way to grey or even black. To suppress this effect, a dopant may be used, such as a small amount of cobalt salts, which would be added to the formulation. This process creates cobalt-doped zinc sulfide. The cobalt salts help to stabilize zinc sulfide so it will not have as severe a reaction to UV exposure.

This route affords a product that is 29.4 wt % ZnS and 70.6 wt % BaSO₄. Variations exist, for example, more ZnS-rich materials are produced when zinc chloride is added to the mixture of zinc sulfate and barium sulfide.^[1]

Understanding Anatase Titanium Dioxide

Titanium is one of the most common metals on earth, but it does not occur naturally in this elemental form. TiO₂, also known as titanium (IV) oxide or titania, is the naturally occurring compound created when titanium reacts with the oxygen in the air. As an oxide, titanium is found in minerals in the earth’s crust. It is also found with other elements, including calcium and iron.

Method of producing improved lithopone

Titanium dioxide is an important chemical compound that is widely used in various applications, including paint, cosmetics, sunscreens, and food coloring. As the demand for this versatile substance continues to grow, the role of titanium dioxide manufacturers becomes crucial in ensuring a stable supply for industries around the world.