Hydraulic lime for cement compositions containing photocatalyst particles

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

0001The present invention relates to a hydraulic eine, a dry premix, a cement composition having improved property to maintain, after the installation, for longer time periods the brilliance and the colour quantity.

PRIOR ART

0002One of the most important use for cement (either grey or white) is in the manufacture of the so called "architectural concretes", i.e. castings in work with not treated (flat or profiled) or treated (for example sand-blasted) surfaces. Particularly the white cement is used as a decorative element in the light prefabrication and in the production of paving tiles. The architectural concrete composition, particularly the white one, must meet the requirement to obtain besides good mechanical resistances and durability with time also surfaces having good appearance and therefore uniform in colour and texture.

0003In order to obtain architectural concretes having homogeneous colour and constant composition it is essential the selection of the inert material but, while said inert material forms up to 80% of the concrete mass, the concrete surface has a composition differing from the underlying layers and therefore from its whole mass: the coarse inert material does not appear on the surface and the surface itself consists only of cement paste and sand.

0004As a consequence a surface of concrete manufactured with white cement and light sand turns out to be good, even if the coarse aggregate is darker.

0005The colour uniformity of the sand is less important than in the case of grey cement architectural concrete: the colour constancy of the white cement may cover, obviously within certain limits, the colour variations of the sand.

0006<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="EP0590477A"><text>EP 0590477</text></patcit> relates to a metal-oxide layer exhibiting a photocatalytic activity function formed on the surface of an inorganic architectural material, such as external wall material, roofing material, internal wall material, flooring material, and ceiling material, including glass, tile, concrete, stone, metal, and the like, so as to provide the property of deodorizing a space coming in contact with the architectural material, and antimold, antisoiling properties, and ultraviolet-ray absorbency of the surface of the architectural material, as well as the longterm maintenance of these properties.

0007<patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="EP0633064A"><text>EP 0633064</text></patcit> relates to a photocatalyst composite which comprises a substrate having particles of a photocatalyst such as titanium oxide, adhered thereon via a less degradative adhesive such as a fluorinated polymer comprising a copolymer of a vinyl ester and/or vinyl ether and a fluoroolefin, or a silicon based polymer or cement.

TECHNICAL PROBLEM

0008The principal problem of architectural concrete manufactures, both in grey cement and in white cement, concerns the constant maintenance with time of the original appearance; it is important to defer as late as possible the natural ageing process due, essentially, to the influence of atmospheric agents. The protection of these manufactures is principally carried out with water-repellent products which are applied on the surfaces by spray or brush, as for example silicone solutions, which are stable in an alkaline environment, and possibly to light and bad weather,

0009However, perhaps owing to the progressive increase of pollutants present in a typical metropolitan environment, the superficial protection of these products resists in towns for a more and more limited time with subsequent aesthetic degradation of the manufacture. In most cases the quick aesthetic degradation of these materials prevents from using these architectural concretes.

0010Therefore the need is felt to solve the problem of the preservation of the original appearance of the surface of the architectural concretes for longer time periods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

0011The Applicant has surprisingly found that this problem may be effectively solved using, a hydraulic lime for cement compositions according to claim 1.

0012As a photocatalyst able to oxidize in the presence of light, air and environmental humidity (oxygen and water) the polluting substances contacting the surface of the hydraulic binder (or the relative mortars and concretes) in a hardened state according to the present invention, titanium dioxide, mainly in the form of anatase, or a precursor thereof, optionally doped with other atoms different from Ti is provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

0013<figref idref="f0001 f0002 f0003 f0004">Figures 1-4</figref> report the images of the surfaces relating to the compositions of cement mortars D, E, F, G reported in Example 2.

0014In particular <figref idref="f0001">Figures 1A - 1B</figref> report the surface images relating to composition D, <figref idref="f0002">Figures 2A - 2B</figref> to composition E, <figref idref="f0003">Figures 3A - 3B</figref> to composition F, <figref idref="f0004">Figures 4A - 4B</figref> to composition G.

0015<figref idref="f0005">Figure 5</figref> represent the % reflectance (R%) for the sample B encompassed in Example 5 measured at different times as a function of the wavelength (in nm).

0016<figref idref="f0005">Figure 6</figref> represent residual Q% as a function of time of samples (A) •, (B) ▲ , (C) ■, described in Example 5 subjected to a wavelength higher than 290 nm (450 nm).

0017<figref idref="f0006">Figure 7</figref> represents hystograms of residual Q% of the white cement treated with 5% P-25^® and white cement not treated (as such).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

0018In the present description for "binder" or "hydraulic binder" we mean a hydraulic cement material, in powder form at the solid state, dry, which, once mixed with water, provides plastic mixtures able to set and harden. In the wide definition of "hydraulic binder", according to the present invention, are included both (white, grey or pigmented) cements as defined according to UNI ENV 197.1 standard and the so called cements for debris dams, cement agglomerates and hydraulic limes, as defined in the 1965, May 26 No. 595 Law. The present invention does not only regard the hydraulic lime wherein the photocatalyst is added to one of its components such as clinker or gypsum, in any phase of the relative preparation, but also a dry premix, namely a material comprising the hydraulic lime to which, before the installation thereof, photocatalyst particles are added.

0019A further object of the present invention is a composition comprising hydraulic lime and the photocatalyst.

0020By "dry premix" we mean a homogeneous mixture of binder and aggregate and optionally at least one additive suitable to be mixed with water and for the preparation of mortars and concretes.

0021By "cement composition" or "cement mix" we mean any composition in which a binder is mixed with water, and optionally with aggregates having different granulometry. The cement compositions then include both the cement "pastes", i.e. mixtures of binder and water which are free from aggregates, and the mixes, i.e. mixtures of water, cement and aggregates.

0022The "aggregates" or "inert materials" may be coarse aggregates, such as crushed stones or pebble gravel, or fine aggregates, such as sand, and they are classified in the UNI 8520 standard.

0023Examples of mixes are the mortars (mixtures of binder, water and fine aggregate), and the concretes (mixtures of water, binder, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate).

0024The "clinker" used for the preparation of the binder according to the present invention is any clinker of Portland cement as defined according to the UNI ENV 197.1 standard, i.e. a hydraulic material consisting of at least two thirds in mass of calcium silicates (3CaO SiO₂) and (2CaO SiO₂), the remaining part being Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃ and other oxides.

0025The particular property distinguishing essentially the white cement from the other cements is just that it is perfectly white.

0026Grey colouring of common Portland cements derives from the presence of iron and other metal compounds.

0027White cement is obtained from raw materials which at the pure state are perfectly white and "white" pigmentation is the demonstration of the purity of its composition.

0028The dry premixes according to the present invention suitable to prepare mortars and concretes, particularly the "architectural" ones, but also cement plastering, finishing plastering, hydraulic limes or, more in general, cement finishes suitable to protect the concrete surfaces, preferably contain the hydraulic binder according to the present invention.

0029The present invention further relates to the use of the photocatalyst added "in bulk" to the hydraulic lime in order to preserve with time the aesthetic appearance, the brilliance and the colouring quantity.

0030In the present description the word in bulk means that the photocatalyst is added to the mass of the binder, and then it is distributed in the whole mass, that is even in the inner and deeper layers, and not only on the,surface of the present binder, and consequently also of the mix or the premix obtained therefrom.

0031As far as dry premix is concerned, the definition "in bulk" means that photocatalyst particles are homogeneously mixed with the various components of said premix. In other words the dry premix may comprise both the binder already containing the photocatalyst and separately a conventional hydraulic binder and particles of photocatalyst.

0032The photocatalyst according to the present invention is titanium dioxide or one of its precursors, and more preferably "the titanium dioxide mainly in the form of anatase".

0033The expression "titanium dioxide mainly in the form of anatase" means that the photocatalyst particles present in the hydraulic binder of the present invention are particles of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) having anatase structure for at least 25%, more preferably at least 50%, even more preferably for at least 70% by weight. In a preferred aspect of the invention the TiO₂ P-25^®, commercialized by Degussa, which is a mixture 70:30 of anatase TiO₂: rutile TiO₂, has been used.

0034In fact it is known that TiO₂ crystallizes into the tetragonal forms of anatase and rutile. The rutile is the most stable and industrially, most important form.

0035The anatase may turn into rutile also at room temperature but with an extremely low velocity.

0036At higher temperatures the transformation velocity is more significant. The transformation from rutile to anatase is instead impossible for TiO₂ crystals; industrially this transformation is made possible thanks to the orienting action of certain impurities although the same are present in minimal quantities.

0037The expression "titanium dioxide precursor" means that the preferred photocatalyst is not only limited to "TiO₂ prevailingly in the form of anatase" but it is extended also to any product which added to the baked clinker, to the hydraulic binder, to the premix or to the mix, may form the TiO₂ mainly under the anatase form optionally by suitable thermal treatments.

0038For example the so called "titanium paste" may be considered a valid precursor for the titanium dioxide based photocatalyst of the present invention.

0039The titanium paste (TiO₂·H₂O) derives from the treatment of the product TiOSO₄ with water and it may be effectively used as an anatase precursor without a particular thermal treatment. A particularly effective titanium paste is commercialized by TIOXIDE®.

0040The photocatalytic activity may also be obtained on TiO₂ matrices doped with suitable atoms such as Fe(III), Mo(V), Ru(III), Os(III), Re(V), V(IV) and Rh(III).

0041Particularly these atoms may substitute, at the atomic level, the Ti(IV) present in the TiO₂ matrix for at least 0.5%.

0042The method for obtaining such photocatalysts is described in literature for example in <nplcit id="ncit0001" npl-type="s"><text>J. Phys. Chem. 1994, 98, 1127-34</text></nplcit>, <nplcit id="ncit0002" npl-type="s"><text>Angew. Chemie 1994. 1148-9 </text></nplcit>and in <nplcit id="ncit0003" npl-type="s"><text>Angew. Chemie Int., Ed. 1994, 33, 1091</text></nplcit>. The quantity of photocatalyst present in the hydraulic lime or in the mix of the invention is according to claim 1. For example, a content of about 0.1% by weight, preferably about 0.5% by weight of TiO₂, of one of its precursors or of another photocatalyst in bulk in the hydraulic binder, in the cement composition (e.g. mix or in the dry premix), is generally sufficient to provide the desired effect. It is correct and appropriate to point out that the photocatalytic action must not necessarily be quick since the manufacture dirtiness with the environmental pollutants occurs slowly with time.

0043We can conclude affirming that generally photocatalytic amounts ranging from 0,01 to 10% in bulk calculated with respect to the binder are sufficient amounts to produce the desired effect.

0044Therefore even extremely low percentages of photocatalysts may produce a very high effect of colour conservation with time.

0045By "environmental polluting substances" we mean the organic substances which may be present in the environment due to cars exhausts or industrial waste such as benzene, volatile aromatic compounds, pesticides, organic aromatic compounds, benzofluorides, etc. According to a particularly preferred aspect of the present invention phenanthroquinone has been used as the organic polluting substance. The selection of this specific compound is considered particularly significant to demonstrate the great advantage obtainable with the products object of the present invention.

0046In particular this selection was made on the basis of the preliminary knowledge of the more or less significant percentage components of a typical environment of big towns.

0047An important class of compounds present as pollutants in the troposphere is that of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). These compounds and their analogues containing the heteroatoms (such as S, N, O), derive from the incomplete combustion of organic material such as carbon, oil, wood, fuels, etc. The PAH mechanism formation is based on the production of free radicals by hydrolysis (∼500÷800°C) of hydrocarbons in the reducing zone of the flame, characterized by having an insufficient oxygen flow, the structure of these compounds is characterized by containing at least two condensed aromatic rings in the same molecule.

0048As it was demonstrated in several experiments in vitro and in vivo, many compounds belonging to said class show mutagen and carcinogen activity. In particular, phenanthroquinone belonging to PAH class was selected for the following reasons: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>it is a substance not raising handling problems;</li><li>it is a substance giving a yellow colouring and its disappearance may be followed visually;</li><li>it is soluble in methanol, a solvent easly evaporating, once it is applied onto the surface to be treated.</li></ul>

0049Neither inorganic pollutants are to be excluded such as the nitrogen oxides NO_x which with the photocatalyst according to the present invention can be oxidized to nitrates.

0050The photocatalytic action of titanium dioxide is well known in the art, as it is known that TiO₂ particles may adhere to inorganic substrates such as cement.

0051On the contrary what is not described is the use of titanium or, more generally, of a photocatalyst, in bulk, in the cement or in the mix in order to maintain constant the quality of the superficial appearance in terms of brilliance and colour quantity of the hardened manufacture. By "colour quantity" we mean the ensemble of the characteristics of dominating wavelength and purity, as defined below. Thanks to the peculiar aspect to maintain with time unaltered the colouring, a preferred aspect of the invention relates particularly to the use of white cement and prepared cement as hydraulic binder.

0052The "white colouring" of the cement may be characterized by three properties: <ul id="ul0002" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>as brilliance, that is power to reflect the incident light (which is the typical characteristic of white bodies in contrast to black bodies), expressed as per cent ratio between the light reflected by surface of white cement and the one reflected by an equal surface of magnesium oxide, conventionally considered the ideal white body; white cements produced in Italy the brilliance value is higher than 82, and in mortars produced with these cements it is a little lower; as dominating wavelength, that is tonality of the gradation which accompanies and characterizes every white (in fact white bodies are not equal among each other); the dominating wavelength lies between yellow and blue;</li><li>as purity, or intensity of the gradation; purity is measured by the percentage of colour, which is lower than 5%.</li></ul>

0053The use of photocatalysts according to the present invention therefore allows to keep constant as long as possible these three important properties.

0054White cement may also be pigmented in order to obtain an additional chromatic effect.

0055This effect turns out to be decidedly better than the one obtainable, at equal conditions, with grey cement. It is interesting to notice that white cement, owing to its chemical composition, does not affect either the tone or the luminosity of the colouring obtained with the pigment (alterations which on the contrary are unavoidable with the use of the grey cement).

0056The pigment is to be mixed intimately in the mixture or, separately, with the cement. The percentage of addition is to be searched case by case according to the chromatic effect which one wish to obtain. This percentage is referred to the weight of the cement (e.g., if mineral pigments based on iron oxide are used, the above mentioned percentage is about 2% with respect to the weight of the cement).

0057Pigments are generally: inorganic base dyes as for example natural dyes (yellow ocher, reds based on iron oxide such as red ocher, English red, Spanish red; amber earth colour; ultramarine blue; etc.) or mineral dyes (yellow zinc chromate; Schweinfurt green; Berlin blue; Bremen blue); lead based dyes such as Naples yellow; chrome yellow; the group of mineral dyes based on iron oxide (having a chromatic range from brown to orange and to yellow).

0058As it has been previously described with the binder of the invention mixes (mortars and concretes) can be produced particularly the "architectural" ones, and characterized by maintaining for longer time periods the brilliance and the colouring quantity.

0059Cement compositions such as mortars and concretes manufactured with the binder of the invention are particularly mortars having binders/aggregates ratios by weight ranging from 2/1 to 1/1 and concretes having binders/aggregates ratios by weight ranging from 1/3 to 1/6.

0060The water quantity used in the cement compositions is that sufficient to complete the hydration reaction of the binder and to provide the optimal workability at the plastic state of the mixture. The proportion among water, binder and possible aggregates of the cement compositions may vary within wide limits, and it is a function of the properties and the final uses of the desired mortars and concretes. In general terms the water quantity ranges from about 20 to 60% by weight with respect to the weight of the binder.

0061The method for preparing mix may be any conventional one. The temperature of mix formation between the binder and water, and optional aggregates, generally ranges from +5° to 30 °C, and it is preferably at least 20 °C.

0062The photocatalyst addition to the hydraulic binder is not a critical phase; the photocatalyst may be simply added to the powder of the hydraulic binder and mixed according to any technique known in the art, by using both an automatic mixer and manually.

0063Being the simple addition of the photocatalyst to the binder in powder form possible, the premixes according to the present invention are preferred. We report hereinbelow the following Examples for illustrative but not limitative purposes. In as much as the following examples do not relate to hydraulic limes, they do not describe the invention but are useful to understand the characteristics and advantages thereof. It is necessary to point out that an exhaustive exemplification of the invention can be carried out only by very long (of the order of years) procedures because the correct evaluation of the maintenance of the characteristics of the hardened binders, particularly of architectural concretes, need natural "ageing" procedures in the real microclimate.

EXAMPLE 1

0064Some supports having 25 x 8 x 2.5 cm size have been realized with normal cement mortar based on Italbianco Italcementi 52.5 ^® white cement.

0065After manufacturing the test samples have been cured for 1 day in the molds in the environment at 20 °C and RH → 90%; after ejection they have been stored for further 7 days at 20 °C and RH ≈ 60% (RH = Relative Humidity).

0066These test samples have then been used as supports for the applications of a cement mortar added with titanium dioxide. The base mortar had the following formulation: <tables id="tabl0001" num="0001"><table frame="none"><tgroup cols="2" colsep="0" rowsep="0"><colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="121mm" /><colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="16mm" /><tbody><row><entry>Italbianco Italcementi white cement</entry><entry align="char" char="." charoff="23">35.4%</entry></row><row><entry>Metakaolin</entry><entry align="char" char="." charoff="23">3.5%</entry></row><row><entry>Quartz (0.06-0.25 mm)</entry><entry align="char" char="." charoff="23">59.7%</entry></row><row><entry>Cellulose Ether</entry><entry align="char" char="." charoff="23">0.2%</entry></row><row><entry>MELMENT F10 (melanine condensed with formaldehyde)</entry><entry align="char" char="." charoff="23">0.25%</entry></row><row><entry>Cellulose Fibres</entry><entry align="char" char="." charoff="23">0.25%</entry></row><row><entry>ELOTEX 50 AV/90 Terpolymer (butylacrylate/vinylacetate/vinyl versatate) terpolymer</entry><entry align="char" char="." charoff="23">0.7%</entry></row><row><entry>Ratio Water/Cement</entry><entry align="char" char="." charoff="23">0.60</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0067In particular, six compositions have been realized using the following dosages of titanium dioxide, referred to the weight of the cement: <ul id="ul0003" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>0 - as such (titanium dioxide 0%)</li><li>1 - 10%</li><li>2 - 5%</li><li>3 - 1%</li><li>4 - 0.5%</li><li>5 - 0.1%</li></ul>

0068Titanium dioxide, commercialized under the P-25 trade-mark of Degussa, has been used.

0069Every composition has been vigorously stirred for 5 minutes by means of a high speed mixer, until obtaining of a fluid consistency (spatulable).

0070Subsequently, the compositions have been applied with a metallic spatula on the above described supports; at the end of the application the average thickness of the mortar turned out to be of about 2 mm.

0071The test samples, so realized, have been then cured for 7 days at 20 °C and RH ≈ 60%. Then 0.5% alcoholic solution of various condensates based on polycondensated aromatic compounds has been applied with a brush onto half surface of each test sample (about 100 cm²). 6 g, (corresponding to 0.03 g of dry product) of this solution, having a yellow coloration, have been applied on every 100 cm² as a consequence that 0.3 mg/cm² have been applied on each sample.

0072Every test sample showed at the end of the treatment two zones with well distinct colourings: <ul id="ul0004" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>yellow, the treated part</li><li>white, the untreated part.</li></ul>

0073Then the test samples thus treated have been submitted to image analysis with a LEICA Quantiment 500+ computerized analyzer to detect white tonalities.

0074Subsequently, they have been exposed, at a distance of about 50 cm, to a 300 Watt OSRAM Ultra-Vitalux lamp having a mixture of radiations similar to the high mountains natural solar radiation (Ultraviolet + visible).

0075At time intervals of 8, 16, 24 and 60 hours of exposure, the image analyses have been repeated to detect white tonalities. The obtained results have been reported in Table 1. <tables id="tabl0002" num="0002"><table frame="all"><title><u>TABLE 1</u></title><tgroup cols="8"><colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="18mm" /><colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="35mm" /><colspec colnum="3" colname="col3" colwidth="31mm" /><colspec colnum="4" colname="col4" colwidth="13mm" /><colspec colnum="5" colname="col5" colwidth="13mm" /><colspec colnum="6" colname="col6" colwidth="13mm" /><colspec colnum="7" colname="col7" colwidth="13mm" /><colspec colnum="8" colname="col8" colwidth="13mm" /><thead><row><entry align="center" valign="middle" /><entry namest="col2" nameend="col8" align="center" valign="middle">WHITE VALUES</entry></row><row><entry align="center" valign="middle">Time (h)</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">Not treated specimen</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">Ti02 free specimen</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">1</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">2</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">3</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">4</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">5</entry></row></thead><tbody><row rowsep="0"><entry align="center">0</entry><entry align="center">211</entry><entry align="center">183.2</entry><entry align="center">185.4</entry><entry align="center">184.5</entry><entry align="center">183.7</entry><entry align="center">184.7</entry><entry align="center">182.7</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry align="center">8</entry><entry align="center">211</entry><entry align="center">185.3</entry><entry align="center">200.1</entry><entry align="center">194.9</entry><entry align="center">190.5</entry><entry align="center">189.5</entry><entry align="center">188.1</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry align="center">16</entry><entry align="center">211</entry><entry align="center">187.1</entry><entry align="center">203.5</entry><entry align="center">197.6</entry><entry align="center">194.1</entry><entry align="center">192.6</entry><entry align="center">191.1</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry align="center">24</entry><entry align="center">211</entry><entry align="center">190.0</entry><entry align="center">206.2</entry><entry align="center">200.8</entry><entry align="center">197,7</entry><entry align="center">195.6</entry><entry align="center">193.2</entry></row><row><entry align="center">60</entry><entry align="center">212</entry><entry align="center">194.9</entry><entry align="center">211.9</entry><entry align="center">206.5</entry><entry align="center">204.5</entry><entry align="center">203.6</entry><entry align="center">201.0</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0076As it results the test samples containing 10% of titanium dioxide, after 60 hours of exposure, show the same tone of white of the untreated surfaces; it must be pointed out that already after 8-16 hours of exposure white tonalities result to be very close to the not treated surfaces.

0077The test pieces containing the lowest dosages of titanium dioxide show an analogous trend, but obviously at lower levels, however proportional to the titanium dioxide content.

0078It may be observed that a certain bleaching action through the effect of light is obtained also on the test sample without TiO₂. In any case, low quantities of TiO₂ are sufficient to obtain a much greater bleaching effect.

0079However, from the visual observation of what has been instrumentally measured it results a more marked bleaching of the treated surfaces, especially if moistened, if compared to the not-treated surface.

EXAMPLE 2

00804 cement mortar compositions (of identical formulation as those of Example 1) added with TiO₂ (P-25®- Degussa) have been manufactured following substantially the procedure described in the Example 1. In particular: <tables id="tabl0003" num="0003"><table frame="none"><tgroup cols="2" colsep="0" rowsep="0"><colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="23mm" /><colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="54mm" /><tbody><row><entry>Composition</entry><entry>D - 5% of titanium dioxide by weight</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>E - 1% " "</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>F - 0.5% " "</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>G - 0.1% " "</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0081Unlike Example 1 the cement compositions have been applied to an external plastered wall of a building.

0082Every composition has been applied onto a surface of about 600 cm²; the average thickness turned out to be equal to 1-2 mm.

0083Half of every surface (300 cm²), corresponding to every composition above reported, has been treated with the same alcoholic solution comprising the organic pollutants of Example 1 (0.2 mg/cm² of dry product); then 2 surfaces have been obtained having well distinct colorations: yellow the treated part, white the not treated part.

0084In Figures from 1 to 4 the images relative to the four compositions have been reported, in particular: <figref idref="f0001">Figure 1A - 1B</figref>: composition D; <figref idref="f0002">Figure 2A - 2B</figref>: composition E; <figref idref="f0003">Figure 3A - 3B</figref>: composition F; <figref idref="f0004">Figure 4A - 4B</figref>: composition G. The <figref idref="f0001">Figures 1A</figref>, <figref idref="f0002">2A</figref>, <figref idref="f0003">3A</figref> and <figref idref="f0004">4A</figref> refer to the images of the surfaces relative to the four compositions D, E, F and G respectively immediately after the treatment with an alcoholic solution of half of said surfaces, the part coloured in yellow being indicated in every Figure with the T letter. After 1 week of exposure to sunlight the compositions have been photographed again and their images are reported in <figref idref="f0001">Figures 1B</figref>, <figref idref="f0002">2B</figref>, <figref idref="f0003">3B</figref> and <figref idref="f0004">4B</figref>, which refer to the four compositions D, E, F and G respectively after 1 week exposure.

0085As it results from <figref idref="f0001 f0002 f0003 f0004">Fig. 1B - 4B</figref> the surfaces treated with the organic pollutant reported to the original white.

EXAMPLE 3

0086Tioxide titanium paste (TiO₂ precursor) has been added at concentrations of 0.1%, 1% and 5% by weight respectively to the cement whose chemical and spectrometric analysis is reported in Table 2. <tables id="tabl0004" num="0004"><table frame="none"><title><u>TABLE 2</u></title><tgroup cols="2" colsep="0" rowsep="0"><colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="38mm" /><colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="16mm" /><thead><row><entry namest="col1" nameend="col2" align="left" valign="top">Chemical Analysis</entry></row></thead><tbody><row><entry>Ignition Loss</entry><entry align="center">2.68%</entry></row><row><entry>Brilliance</entry><entry align="center">90.0</entry></row><row><entry>Dominating Wavelength</entry><entry align="center">569 nm</entry></row><row><entry>Purity</entry><entry align="center">2.3%</entry></row><row><entry>F</entry><entry align="center">0.380%</entry></row></tbody></tgroup><tgroup cols="2" colsep="0" rowsep="0"><colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="38mm" /><colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="16mm" /><thead><row><entry namest="col1" nameend="col2" align="left" valign="top">X Rays Spectrometric Analysis</entry></row></thead><tbody><row><entry>SiO₂</entry><entry align="center">21.80%</entry></row><row><entry>Al₂O₃</entry><entry align="center">3.60%</entry></row><row><entry>Fe₂O₃</entry><entry align="center">0.25%</entry></row><row><entry>CaO</entry><entry align="center">65.86%</entry></row><row><entry>MgO</entry><entry align="center">0.98%</entry></row><row><entry>SO₃</entry><entry align="center">3.15%</entry></row><row><entry>Na₂O</entry><entry align="center">0.83%</entry></row><row><entry>K₂O</entry><entry align="center">0.10%</entry></row><row><entry>SrO</entry><entry align="center">0.08%</entry></row><row><entry>Mn₂O₃</entry><entry align="center">&lt;0.04%</entry></row><row><entry>P₂O₅</entry><entry align="center">0.09%</entry></row><row><entry>TiO₂</entry><entry align="center">0.03%</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0087With every mixture 3 test samples having 40 x 40 x 160 mm size have then been prepared in normal mortar according to EN 196.1 standard (cement/sand = 1/3, w/c ratio = 0.5).

0088By comparison 3 test samples without addition of titanium paste have been prepared.

0089The twelve test samples have been stored in a humid environment for 24 hours and once ejected they have been stored immersed in water up to the expiry of 28 days.

0090Then compressive strength tests have been carried out whose average results are reported in Table 3. <tables id="tabl0005" num="0005"><table frame="all"><title><u>TABLE 3</u></title><tgroup cols="5"><colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="45mm" /><colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="12mm" /><colspec colnum="3" colname="col3" colwidth="12mm" /><colspec colnum="4" colname="col4" colwidth="12mm" /><colspec colnum="5" colname="col5" colwidth="12mm" /><thead><row><entry valign="middle" /><entry align="center" valign="middle">1</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">2</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">3</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">4</entry></row></thead><tbody><row><entry valign="middle">Titanium paste content (%)</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">-</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">0.1</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">1</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">5</entry></row><row><entry valign="middle">Comprensive strength (MPa)</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">58.1</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">58.2</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">57.4</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">56.7</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0091As it results the addition of a TiO₂ precursor does not affect significantly cement compressive strength.

EXAMPLE 4

00924 mortars with Italbianco Italcementi 52.5 ® cement having compositions (by weight) reported in Table 4 have been manufactured. <tables id="tabl0006" num="0006"><table frame="all"><title><u>TABLE 4</u></title><tgroup cols="5"><colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="57mm" /><colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="12mm" /><colspec colnum="3" colname="col3" colwidth="15mm" /><colspec colnum="4" colname="col4" colwidth="15mm" /><colspec colnum="5" colname="col5" colwidth="12mm" /><thead><row><entry valign="middle" /><entry align="center" valign="middle">A</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">B</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">C</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">D</entry></row></thead><tbody><row><entry valign="middle">Italbianco ® Cement</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">450</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">450</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">450</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">450</entry></row><row><entry valign="middle">White Aggregate (0.1-2 mm)-g</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">1350</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">1350</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">1350</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">1350</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry morerows="1" rowsep="1" valign="middle">TiO2 P-25 ® g (% by weight of cement)</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">-</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">0.45</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">0.90</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">4.5</entry></row><row><entry align="center" valign="middle">-</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">(0.1%)</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">(0.2%)</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">(1%)</entry></row><row><entry valign="middle">Water</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">225</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">225</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">225</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">225</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0093With every mortar 3 test samples having 8 x 8 x 2 cm size have been manufactured. The test samples have been cured for 1 day in molds in an environment at 20 °C and R.H. >90%, after ejection they have been stored for further 7 days at 20 °C at R.H. about 60%. The twelve test samples have been submitted to a colorimetric test with a Cologard System 0.5 colorimeter in order to estimate brilliance, dominating wavelength and purity of the casting surface (8 x 8 cm). The results are reported in Table 5. <tables id="tabl0007" num="0007"><table frame="all"><title><u>TABLE 5</u></title><tgroup cols="5"><colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="21mm" colsep="0" /><colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="11mm" /><colspec colnum="3" colname="col3" colwidth="18mm" /><colspec colnum="4" colname="col4" colwidth="31mm" /><colspec colnum="5" colname="col5" colwidth="14mm" /><thead><row><entry namest="col1" nameend="col2" align="center" valign="top">Paving tile No.</entry><entry align="center" valign="top">Brilliance</entry><entry align="center" valign="top">Dom. Wavelength</entry><entry align="center" valign="top">Purity</entry></row></thead><tbody><row rowsep="0"><entry>As such</entry><entry align="center">1</entry><entry align="center">82.3</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.9</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry /><entry align="center">2</entry><entry align="center">81.4</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.9</entry></row><row><entry /><entry align="center">3</entry><entry align="center">81.9</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.9</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry>TiO2 0.1%</entry><entry align="center">4</entry><entry align="center">81.6</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.9</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry /><entry align="center">5</entry><entry align="center">80.6</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.5</entry></row><row><entry /><entry align="center">6</entry><entry align="center">80.7</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.5</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry>TiO2 0.2%</entry><entry align="center">7</entry><entry align="center">81.1</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.5</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry /><entry align="center">8</entry><entry align="center">79.8</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.5</entry></row><row><entry /><entry align="center">9</entry><entry align="center">80.3</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.5</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry>TiO2 1%</entry><entry align="center">10</entry><entry align="center">81.3</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.5</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry /><entry align="center">11</entry><entry align="center">81.5</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.5</entry></row><row><entry /><entry align="center">12</entry><entry align="center">81.2</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.5</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0094Then the test samples have been exposed in an external environment subject to strong car traffic for 6 months. After this period the above described colorimetric measures have been repeated. The results are reported in Table 6. <tables id="tabl0008" num="0008"><table frame="all"><title><u>TABLE 6</u></title><tgroup cols="5"><colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="22mm" colsep="0" /><colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="11mm" /><colspec colnum="3" colname="col3" colwidth="18mm" /><colspec colnum="4" colname="col4" colwidth="31mm" /><colspec colnum="5" colname="col5" colwidth="14mm" /><thead><row><entry namest="col1" nameend="col2" align="center" valign="top">Paving tile No.</entry><entry align="center" valign="top">Brilliance</entry><entry align="center" valign="top">Dom. Wavelength</entry><entry align="center" valign="top">Purity</entry></row></thead><tbody><row rowsep="0"><entry>As such</entry><entry align="center">1</entry><entry align="center">80</entry><entry align="center">578</entry><entry align="center">4.3</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry /><entry align="center">2</entry><entry align="center">79.5</entry><entry align="center">578</entry><entry align="center">4.4</entry></row><row><entry /><entry align="center">3</entry><entry align="center">79</entry><entry align="center">579</entry><entry align="center">4.3</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry>TiO2 0.1% 4</entry><entry align="center" /><entry align="center">80</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">4.0</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry /><entry align="center">5</entry><entry align="center">80</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.6</entry></row><row><entry /><entry align="center">6</entry><entry align="center">80</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.5</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry>Ti02 0.2%</entry><entry align="center">7</entry><entry align="center">80.5</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.6</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry /><entry align="center">8</entry><entry align="center">80.5</entry><entry align="center">576</entry><entry align="center">3.5</entry></row><row><entry /><entry align="center">9</entry><entry align="center">80.5</entry><entry align="center">575</entry><entry align="center">3.5</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry>TiO2 1%</entry><entry align="center">10</entry><entry align="center">82</entry><entry align="center">575</entry><entry align="center">3.2</entry></row><row rowsep="0"><entry /><entry align="center">11</entry><entry align="center">82</entry><entry align="center">575</entry><entry align="center">3.3</entry></row><row><entry /><entry align="center">12</entry><entry align="center">81.5</entry><entry align="center">575</entry><entry align="center">3.2</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0095As it results brilliance, dominating wavelength and purity values of the test samples with titanium dioxide undergo with time lower changes if compared to the values of the test samples of the cement as such (without TiO₂).

EXAMPLE 5

00962 samples of white cement (2 mm thick) are prepared on suitable supports having a discoid form with a diameter of 3.2 cm and thickness of 7 mm (substantially as described in Example 1).

00972 samples containing 5% TiO₂ respectively of P-25 ® Degussa type (sample A) and AHR® (Tioxide) type (sample B).

0098For comparison purposes a third sample (C) without TiO₂ is prepared.

0099In order to obtain surface reproducible and constant amounts of organic substance on the sample a phenanthroquinone solution in methanol is deposited by means of an aerograph thereby giving to a surface phenanthroquinone concentration equal to 0.1 mg of dry product/cm². At the end of said treatment every sample showed a homogenous surface of yellow colour.

0100Both before and after the deposition of the organic substances, reflectance spectrophotometric analyses have been carried out with a Perkin Elmer lambda 6 type spectrophotometer provided with an integrating sphere to eliminate scattered light responsible for anisotropy and surface irregularities.

0101The samples have been irradiated by means of a solar flow simulator, emitting radiation with wavelength higher than 290 nm.

0102The device used for irradiating consists of four 400 Watt lamps placed at the vertices of a square having at the center a carrying sample roundabout rotating on its own axis. By means of said device it has been possible to irradiate contemporaneously more samples with the same amount of photons per time unit.

0103The irradiation device SOLAR SIMULATOR SET-UP12/24 allows to carry out accelerating ageing test, wherein approximately 100 irradiation hours correspond to 1 year of sunlight.

0104For every sample at different times various % reflectance (R%) as a function of wavelength (nm) have been obtained.

0105The reflectance as previously pointed out is obtained by the ratio reflected light on a surface/inciding light on said surface.

0106The % reflectance of the sample B are reported in <figref idref="f0005">Figure 5</figref> at different time as a function of wavelength (nm).

0107In particular with respect to <figref idref="f0005">Figure 5</figref>, the curve 1 represents the spectrum before depositing the organic substance, the curve 2 represents the situation after deposition of said substance, the curves 3, 4, 5 represent the situation respectively after 2, 4 and 8 hours of irradiation. As it results already after 8 hours of irradiations the situation is almost the same as before the treatment with the pollutant.

0108The reflectance values must be normalized to allow a comparison among different materials having therefore a difference intrinsic reflectance.

0109The normalization coefficient Nt is defined as follows: <maths id="math0001"><math display="block"><mi>Nt</mi><mo mathvariant="normal">=</mo><mfenced open="[" close="]"><msub><mi>Rt</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">o</mi></msub><mo mathvariant="normal">-</mo><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">R</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">t</mi></msub></mfenced><mo mathvariant="normal">/</mo><msub><mi>Rt</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">o</mi></msub></math><img file="EP1564194B1_D0001.tif" /></maths> wherein Rt_o is the reflectance of the sample at the time = 0, before the application of the polluting substance, R_t is the reflectance at the time t after the addition of the polluting substance (in this case the phenanthroquinone).

0110The normalization coefficient thus determined allows to calculate the residual Q% rendering possible a comparison among different material having a different intrinsic reflectance. In fact residual Q% may be easily calculated by applying the following the mathematical formula <maths id="math0002"><math display="block"><mi>residual Q</mi><mo mathvariant="normal">%</mo><mo mathvariant="normal">=</mo><mfrac><mrow><mn mathvariant="normal">1</mn><mo mathvariant="normal">-</mo><msub><mi>NT</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">o</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><mi>poll</mi><mo mathvariant="normal">-</mo><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">N</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">t</mi></msub></mrow><mrow><msub><mi>Nt</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">o</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><mi>poll</mi></mrow></mfrac><mo mathvariant="normal">⋅</mo><mn mathvariant="normal">100</mn></math><img file="EP1564194B1_D0002.tif" /></maths> wherein Nt_opoll is the normalization coefficient of the material after addition of the pollutant at t = 0.

0111In table 7, residual Q% is reported as a function of the time of the above mentioned samples (A) (containing 5% P-25), (B) (containing 5% AHR^®) and (C) (the sample without TiO₂) subjected to a wavelength higher than 290 nm (450 nm) and an air flow at T=60°C. <tables id="tabl0009" num="0009"><img file="EP1564194B1_D0003.tif" /></tables>

0112As it results from Table 7, samples containing titanium oxide give with time lower and lower normalized values, index of the photocatalyst activity.

0113The analytical data are also confirmed visually. In fact the total disappearance of yellow colouring due to phenanthroquinone is observed in samples containing TiO₂.

0114Although the normalized values corresponding to sample C decrease with time, visually it is possible to observe definite yellow zones on the sample surface.

0115As it again results from Table 7 the process works with different types of titanium oxide, prevailingly in the anatase form.

0116<figref idref="f0005">Figure 6</figref> resumes in the form of a diagram wherein residual Q% is reported in ordinates and time (hours) is reported in abscissae, the data of table 7.

EXAMPLE 6

0117Using substantially the same process and the same device as those of Example 5, the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide P- 25 ® on a white cement sample (prepared as described in Example 5) onto which carbon black was deposited.

0118Carbon black was deposited according to the following technique: a white cement discoid treated with 5% TiO₂ P-25 ® (Degussa) has been left for 10 minutes at a height of 10 mm from the flame of a candle.

0119For comparison purposes the same test has been conducted on a sample without TiO₂.

0120The results of said tests are reported in <figref idref="f0006">Figure 7</figref>.

0121As it results from histograms of Figure 8 the activity of the sample containing TiO₂ is evident.

EXAMPLE 7

0122The nitrogen oxides, comprising both N0 and NO₂ (generally indicated with NO_x) play an important role in the atmoshpere chemistry. A high concentration of these oxides with respect to the average quantity of the same in a not polluted area is due to the presence of movable sources (vehicles) and stationary sources and can originate acid rains or organic compounds such as peroxyacetyl nitrates (PAN) being irritating for eyes and phytoxic from plants.

0123Following substantially the technique described in Example 1, a white cement sample containing 1% by weight of TiO₂ of the AHR®type was prepared.

0124The cement plate thus obtained has been placed at the base of a Plexyglass ^® glass box of 1 1 capacity to evaluate the efficiency of NO_x remotion from the cement containing the photocatalyst.

0125An air flow has been passed containing 0.6 ppm NO₂, 0.5 ppm N0 and 60% relative humidity through the above described box lightened from the top by three 300 Watt Hg vapour lamps (emitting light with wavelength higher than 360 nm) placed at a distance of 15 cm from the sample.

0126The air flow of 2 1/min has been divided to guarantee a sufficient contact time of the air with cement, and to have a suitable flow for the detection system working Monitor cabs 8440 NITROGENOXIDE ANALYZER ^® chemiluminescence detector.

0127For comparison purposes the same technique has been carried out on a cement sample not containing TiO₂.

0128The N0x decrease measured in the air leaving the box containing the cement sample with TiO₂ is of about 40% already after 3 hours of air flow, whereas no significant N0x reduction is observed in the air leaving the box containing the cement sample without TiO₂.