[Chemical Knowledge]：The nature and use of titanium dioxide, upstream and downstream raw materials, storage methods, the main use of titanium dioxide

Titanium dioxide properties

Titanium dioxide (Titanium Dioxide,TiO₂) is a white inorganic compound with high refractive index, high light scattering ability and excellent chemical stability. Its crystal structure is mainly divided into anatase type and rutile type, of which rutile titanium dioxide is widely used in various industrial fields because of its higher stability and better weather resistance. The particle size of titanium dioxide is generally between 0.2 and 0.3 microns, which makes it an ideal white pigment with excellent hiding power and whiteness. Titanium dioxide also has good heat resistance and UV resistance, and can maintain its stability and whiteness under high temperature conditions.

Titanium dioxide use

Titanium dioxide is widely used in many industries, the most important use is in the paint, plastics and paper industry. As the main component of the coating, titanium dioxide provides excellent hiding power and brightness, and improves the durability and UV resistance of the coating. In the plastics industry, titanium dioxide not only improves the whiteness and gloss of plastic products, but also enhances its anti-aging and anti-ultraviolet properties. In the paper industry, titanium dioxide is used as a filler and coating agent for paper, which significantly improves the whiteness, smoothness and opacity of paper. Titanium dioxide is also widely used in cosmetics, food additives and drugs, because of its non-toxic and harmless, high chemical stability, can effectively improve the quality and performance of products.

Upstream raw materials

The production of titanium dioxide mainly depends on natural titanium ores, such as rutile, ilmenite and titanium sand. Ilmenite is one of the most important raw materials, accounting for more than 90% of the global titanium ore resources. Ilmenite after beneficiation and smelting, can obtain high purity titanium dioxide production raw materials. The production of titanium dioxide also requires chemical reagents such as sulfuric acid or chlorine gas, which are purified and prepared by the sulfuric acid method or the chlorination method. The sulfuric acid method mainly uses sulfuric acid to react with ilmenite to generate titanium sulfate, and then through hydrolysis, filtration, roasting and other processes to obtain titanium dioxide. The chlorination law is the reaction of ilmenite and chlorine to generate titanium tetrachloride, and then through high temperature redox reaction to generate titanium dioxide.

Downstream Products

As a basic chemical material, titanium dioxide has a wide range of downstream products, covering coatings, plastics, paper, rubber, cosmetics and other fields. The coating industry is the largest consumption area of titanium dioxide, accounting for more than 60% of the total consumption. High-performance architectural coatings, automotive coatings and industrial coatings are inseparable from the support of titanium dioxide. In the plastic industry, titanium dioxide is used to manufacture PVC, PE, PP and other plastic products to improve its weather resistance and aging resistance. In the paper industry, titanium dioxide improves the gloss and opacity of paper, and is an indispensable raw material for high-grade paper. In the field of cosmetics, titanium dioxide is used for foundation, cream and other products to provide good hiding power and whitening effect. Titanium dioxide is also widely used in rubber, textile and printing ink industries.

Titanium dioxide storage method

Titanium dioxide is chemically stable, but it is still necessary to pay attention to moisture-proof, anti-pollution and anti-static during storage and transportation. Titanium dioxide should be stored in a dry, well-ventilated warehouse, avoid direct sunlight and rain immersion. The packaging bag should be sealed to prevent moisture and dust from entering to maintain its quality and performance. In the process of transportation, it should be handled with care to avoid packaging damage and dust flying. Titanium dioxide is easy to produce static electricity, in the storage and use should pay attention to prevent the accumulation of static electricity, if necessary, can take grounding measures. The storage environment should be away from flammable and explosive materials to ensure safety.

Market demand and development trend

With the development of the global economy and the acceleration of industrialization, the market demand for titanium dioxide has shown a steady growth trend. The development of the construction industry and the automotive industry has promoted the demand for high-performance coatings and further promoted the expansion of the titanium dioxide market. The popularization of the concept of green environmental protection and sustainable development has also promoted the application of titanium dioxide in cosmetics, food and medicine. The continuous progress of titanium dioxide production technology, such as the development and application of nano titanium dioxide and ultra-fine titanium dioxide, has opened up more high value-added applications. In the future, the titanium dioxide market will pay more attention to the improvement of product quality and the optimization of environmental performance to meet the needs of various industries for high-performance materials.

Competitive landscape and challenges

The competitive landscape of the titanium dioxide industry is relatively concentrated, with major global producers including large companies such as DuPont, Comou, Koster and Huntsman. These enterprises have technological and financial advantages and can continue to carry out technological innovation and market expansion. Small and medium-sized enterprises are also actively entering the market, seizing market share through differentiated competitive strategies and cost advantages. The main challenges facing the titanium dioxide industry include raw material price fluctuations, stricter environmental protection policies and diversified market demand. Fluctuations in raw material prices directly affect production costs, and companies need to optimize supply chain management and cost control. The tightening of environmental protection policies requires enterprises to continuously improve the production process and environmental protection level, and reduce the discharge of waste water, waste gas and waste residue. The diversification of market demand requires enterprises to flexibly adjust the product structure to meet the individual needs of different customers.

Conclusion

As an important inorganic chemical material, titanium dioxide occupies an important position in the global market with its excellent physical and chemical properties and a wide range of applications. In the future, with the technological progress and changes in market demand, the titanium dioxide industry will face more opportunities and challenges. Enterprises need to continue to innovate, improve product quality and environmental performance, adapt to changes in market demand, and achieve sustainable development. By optimizing supply chain management, improving production efficiency and expanding application areas, the titanium dioxide industry will continue to maintain steady growth and serve more industrial and consumer markets.