Z E M C H 2 0 1 2 I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e
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The greatest part of photocatalytic products in the Italian market contain inside a
photocatalytic, containing in turn the photocatalyst dioxide of titanium, responsible of the
activation of oxidation reactions. The greatest producers of this type of material are firms
as Italcementi and Global Engineering. To preserve the innovation of this product, these
firms have deposited a series of brevets.
From the analysis of brevets, some common considerations emerged among others:
•
The photocatalyst used is the dioxide of titanium (TiO
2
) in the crystallographic
anatase form;
•
Conditions of illumination considered for allowing the photocatalytic activity of the
patented products are of solar origin: in the visible and not visible field;
•
For the material to the solid and dry state, the dioxide of titanium (TiO
2
), is dry
ready-mixed with ligands, using an automatic mixer, or it is manually mixed;
•
The photocatalyst dioxide of titanium can also be mixed in watery solution.
Besides from the analysis of brevets has emerged that only two of these concern usable
products in confined environments. These documents coping with photocatalytic
paintings, and more precisely with cement paintings (EP 1 524 249 A1), and cement
compounds for the covering of surfaces (EP 1 878 711 A1). Both these documents are
deposited by the Global Engineering.
Conclusions
The application of products with photocatalytic characteristics in external environments
provided positive results for the reduction of polluting mixtures present in the
environmental air. From here the interest to extend the application of photocatalytic
products individualized in the typology of photocatalytic paints and microfilm in
environments both to high risk of indoor pollution, in substitution and/or integration of
innovative technical solutions that are already used, and particularly for the
environments to middle and low risk, where finishes of walls are for instance realized
currently applying common plasters and paintings for internal use.
As already said in the introduction the research conducted by the group of
interdisciplinary study, has to be deeply investigated using different formulations
concerning superficial photocatalytic treatments with different sources of light for internal
and external applications, in order to optimize the degradation ability of the pollutants
and it has to be addressed to the verification of the self-cleaning and antibacterial activity
of these new superficial treatments, as well as to investigate the possibility that in the
process of degradation some harmful by-products for the health of the man can be
formed. Even if the first phase of the experimentation is not concluded it is however,
considered necessary investigate on the applicability of photocatalytic paints in special
environments, considering their diffusion.
At the end of the work, the following conclusive considerations can be effected:
•
During the analysis regarding the referential in force legislation for the definition of
indoor pollution, it has been observed that such legislation is lack in references of
limit concentrations of pollutants in the confined environments. Such lack could be
filled if a punctual analysis of all the activities will be developed inside the confined
environments in relation to the expected destination of use and to the presumable
developed activities;
•
During the analysis regarding the referential in force legislation related to norms
and recommendations regarding hospital institutes and nursing homes the lack of
reference parameters has been observed observed for products to apply in general
in these environments, and, in the specific one, for the environments to middle and
low risk of infections (departments of hospitalization, corridors, waiting rooms);
•
During the analysis regarding the referential in force consensual legislation ( ref.
UNI standards) has been observed a lack of norms related to all problems opened
