Evaluation of nanoparticle emission for TiO2 nanopowder coating materials

In this study, nanoparticle emission of TiO2 nanopowder coated on different substrates including wood, polymer, and tile, was evaluated in a simulation box and measured with a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) for the first time. The coating process for the substrate followed the instructions given by the supply company. In the simulation box, UV light, a fan, and a rubber knife were used to simulate the sun light, wind, and human contacting conditions. Among the three selected substrates, tile coated with TiO2 nanopowder was found to have the highest particle emission (22 #/cm3 at 55 nm) due to nanopowder separation during the simulation process. The UV light was shown to increase the release of particle below 200 nm from TiO2 nanopowder coating materials. The results show that, under the conditions of UV lamps, a fan and scraping motion, particle number concentration or average emission rate decreases significantly after 60 and 90 min for TiO2/polymer and TiO2/wood, respectively. However, the emission rate continued to increase after 2 h of testing for TiO2/tile. It is suggested that nanoparticle emission evaluation is necessary for products with nanopowder coating.