The titanium dioxide powders are widely used as a pigment for coatings and paints, the important characteristics of which are reflectivity and stability to irradiation. The results of investigations of the optical properties and radiation stability of titanium dioxide powders before and after high-temperature modification with nanopowders are presented in this chapter. The diffuse reflection spectra of various titanium dioxide powders in the UV, visible, and near-IR ranges, and their change during irradiation by electrons with 30 keV energy and a different fluence in vacuum in situ were investigated: (1) TiO2 powders with particle size in the range 60–240 nm; (2) Microsized TiO2 powder (240 nm) modified by Al2O3, ZrO2, SiO2, TiO2, ZnO, MgO nanoparticles with grain size from 30 up to 60 nm; (3) Microsized TiO2 powder (260 nm) modified by SiO2 with the grain size of 12–14 nm at the temperature of 150, 400, and 800°C. The reduction in reflectivity in entire spectrum with decrease in grain sizes of TiO2 nanopowders was established. Nanopowder with the grain size of 80 nm possesses the highest stability to irradiation. It was shown that the average grain size and specific surface of introduced nanoparticles effect noticeably on the radiation stability increase of titanium dioxide powders modified with nanoparticles of various oxides. The micro-sized TiO2 powder heating at temperature of 800оС is the factor which positively influences on the radiation stability.
Part of the book: Titanium Dioxide