Titanium dioxide is the most widely used white pigment because of its brightness
and very high refractive index (n = 2.7), in which it is surpassed only by a few other
materials. Approximately 4 million tons of pigmentary TiO2 are consumed annually worldwide.
When deposited as a thin film, its refractive index and colour make it an excellent reflective
optical coating for dielectric mirrors and some gemstones like "mystic fire topaz".
TiO2 is also an effective opacifier in powder form, where it is employed as a pigment
to provide whiteness and opacity to products such as paints, coatings, plastics, papers,
inks, foods, medicines (i.e. pills and tablets) as well as most toothpastes. In paint, it is
often referred to offhandedly as "the perfect white", "the whitest white", or other similar terms.
Opacity is improved by optimal sizing of the titanium dioxide particles.
and very high refractive index (n = 2.7), in which it is surpassed only by a few other
materials. Approximately 4 million tons of pigmentary TiO2 are consumed annually worldwide.
When deposited as a thin film, its refractive index and colour make it an excellent reflective
optical coating for dielectric mirrors and some gemstones like "mystic fire topaz".
TiO2 is also an effective opacifier in powder form, where it is employed as a pigment
to provide whiteness and opacity to products such as paints, coatings, plastics, papers,
inks, foods, medicines (i.e. pills and tablets) as well as most toothpastes. In paint, it is
often referred to offhandedly as "the perfect white", "the whitest white", or other similar terms.
Opacity is improved by optimal sizing of the titanium dioxide particles.