Antibacterial and self-cleaning glazes

Domenico Fortuna - Setec (Civita Castellana, Italy)

Quality in the ceramic industry is becoming an increasingly important factor for manufacturers
of high-end products and is determined by a series of aesthetic and technological characteristics
that make products particularly appealing for end customers. The technological and innovative
content of ceramic products is the most important aspect for the purposes of quality. In the
bathroom ceramic sector (tiles and sanitary fittings), there is growing demand in particular for
ease of cleaning and the highest possible levels of hygiene. For this purpose, special glazes with
antibacterial additives have been developed. To date these glazes have been applied in a third
firing or even a cold process, and in any case at temperatures below the 1250°C required for
single firing or porcelain tile. However, there are two major drawbacks associated with these
techniques:
A) A considerable increase in production costs because the introduction of new phases
into the production process makes it necessary to perform substantial handling operations,
especially in the case of sanitaryware.
B) Limited duration of the antibacterial effect as the additives applied by third firing -
and even more so those applied in a cold process - are easily removed by abrasion. Based on a
patent registered by Professor Ignazio Renato Bellobono*, Setec recently developed a technique
for producing permanent photocatalytic, antibacterial and self-cleaning glazes without having to
make any changes to the production processes adopted by ceramic companies. The studies
conducted by Prof. Bellobono have led to the development of a nanoparticle titanium dioxide
(BS02) suitably doped with a photopromoter. Using this product, Setec has developed a new
technique for manufacturing antibacterial and self-cleaning glazes that are able to withstand
firing temperatures of up to 1250°C and are therefore permanent. To overcome the problem of
harmful effects associated with nanoparticle powders, the new technique introduces the liquid
additive (powder dispersed in water) either directly in the mill or by means of a mechanical
mixing process together with more finely powdered glazes. The glaze is then applied by means
of normal procedures and subsequently fired in accordance