The Ceramics Institute of Technology (ITC) has developed a system able to create ceramic, wood, metal, natural stone and cement products with self-cleaning and hydrophilic surface properties, thanks to the use of nanotechnology.
The research, led by the Impiva network (Institute for Small and Medium Industry of the Generalitat Valenciana), has been based on the development of photocatalytic coatings. These react with sunlight and, when used on different types of substrates, have a defogging effect. This slows down considerably the aging of the product and achieves cost savings for cleaning and repairs. These coatings have been applied to different types of materials and products in the wood sector (solid and boards), ceramics (roof and floor tiles) and construction (mortars and natural stone), which suffer from progressive deterioration due to exposure to the elements in the exterior, as well as from dirt, which sticks to the surface and with time darkens it, producing accelerated aging.
Another of the major contributions from the research has been its application in industrial processes, something which until now has been very difficult given that this meant a high cost of production, equipment and subsequent implementation. From this knowledge, provided by the different centers which participated in the project, a new generation of materials has been created through the use of nanotechnology. These materials provide new uses for the products offered by the sectors involved in the research, increasing their performance and making viable their future usage.
During the research project, the Ceramics Institute has benefitted from the participation of the Technological Institute of Construction (AIDICO), the Technological Institute of Wood-Furniture (AIDIMA), the Institute of Materials Science from the University of Valencia (ICM-UV) and the Technological Institute for Materials of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (ITM-UPV).