Photocatalytic Tiles: Cleaner House Without The Chemicals
by Dominic Muren, Philadelphia, USA
on 06.24.05
Gambarelli, and Italian tile manufacturer, has created tiles coated with photoactive titanium dioxide ceramic particles. This coating, when struck by Ultra violet light from the sun, breaks atmospheric oxygen into free "active" oxygen radicals which then react with airborne pollutants like nitric oxide, and nitrogen dioxide to form inert nitrate compounds that fall out of the air and can be vacuumed or mopped up. The tiles should have an air freshening effect if placed in a sunny spot, like the entryway from a garden or street. Gamberelli doesn't provide information about online ordering, but a good contractor should be able to help you gett these on your floor. :: Oxygena Tiles
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Hope its a very thin layer as TiO is an extremely enerrgy and material intensive substance to make: moresoe than aluminum.
"active" oxygen radicals contribute to ground level ozone when they break down these NOx, and can be active on many more than one molecule. I think this one belongs in the 'almost' category.
"active" oxygen radicals may deactivate NOx, but combine with the released 02 to create ground-level ozone. They begin a chain reaction and one free oxygen radical may create many many more molecules of ozone. I think this one belongs in the 'almost' category.
It's a great concept, but I'd like to point out that this is symptomatic of the consumeristic way of thinking...if there's a problem, buy something to fix it. Have a weight problem? Buy diet supplements, pay for liposuction, pay someone to help you lose weight.
Products like these are well intentioned, but it will lull people into thinking that the problems it is designed to fix are no longer problems. Ultimately, making more "things" is just a bad idea. You want to really do good for the planet? Consume less.