The effect of modified titanium dioxide, silica, and zinc oxide on the self-cleaning property of an acrylic resin-based paint

Traffic paints hold paramount importance in road markings and ensuring efficient traffic flow. Self-cleaning marking traffic paints are a type of paint which recently developed to keep traffic lines clean with high visibility. Several paints were formulated with acrylic resin and self-cleaning agents, titanium dioxide (TiO2), silicon dioxide (SiO2), and zinc oxide (ZnO) individually and or in combination. All agents were treated in a furnace at 800°C for 2 hours before incorporating into the paint formulation. The effect of untreated and treated agents on several crucial properties of the formulated paints was assessed and compared. It revealed that heat treatment was effective on the crystallinity and impurity content of the agents evidenced by traditional characteristic techniques. The SEM-EDX analysis confirmed the presence and distribution of self-cleaning agents in the paint matrix. Water contact angles ranged from 68° to 97° for paints with self-cleaning agents, indicating improved hydrophilicity. Oil contact angles ranged from 27° to 42° for most paints with self-cleaning agents, showing some improvement in hydrophobicity. The qualitative assessment confirmed superior self-cleaning performance for paints with self-cleaning agents compared to the reference paint, especially for treated agents. Overall, the type and amount of self-cleaning agents significantly affect the hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity, and self-cleaning performance of paints.