Active
Surfaces
safe, ecological ceramic surfaces
As part of their specific research and innovation activities, the companies in the Iris Ceramica Group have developed a new production method focusing on materials, the active principle being to improve the quality of the environment.
This technique is used to create ceramic floor and wall coverings with concrete action that is:
- Antibacterial and Antiviral
- Anti-pollution
- Self-cleaning
- Anti-odour
Today, Active Surfaces make it possible to use materials that actively and durably contribute to improving the atmosphere of any building, indoors and outdoors.
The active principle is based on the photo-catalytic activity of titanium dioxide
- in the presence of air (with relative humidity) plus light, it activates an effective oxidation process;
- this process helps to decompose polluting organic and inorganic substances that come into contact with the photo-catalytic surfaces;
- this causes a reaction with a mechanism very similar to that of photosynthesis, where specific chemical reactions take place under the light, degrading the substances that are harmful to humans.
With Active Surfaces, the photo-catalytic function is played by the Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) present on the ceramic slabs in the form of micrometric particles fixed at high temperature.
The micrometric (not nanometric) size of the TiO2 used excludes all risks to human health and the surrounding environment, during all phases of manufacture, application and end use.
The photo-catalyst activates and accelerates the reaction, but the particles are not directly involved, and so are not consumed in the oxidation process, which uses only the substances present in the air, decomposing the polluting components into harmless elements. For this reason, the action of the titanium dioxide remains stable over time.