UV protection characteristics and fabrication of modified TiO2 nanoparticles

To improve the ultra-violet (UV) protection efficacy and maintain the photo-stability of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, which are used as a raw material for sunscreen cosmetics, the surface of titanium dioxide nanoparticles was modified in turn with SiO2 and FeOOH using the liquid-phase deposition (LPD) technique. Calcination induced crystalline phase transition of TiO2 nanoparticles and a covalent bonding between the core and coating material, which were investigated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and the x-ray diffraction (XRD) method, respectively. The modified TiO2 particles showed a 17% enhanced UVA protection factor. The color of the modified particles was also similar to that of skin, which implicates the increased possibility of the commercialization for sunscreen cosmetics.