How TiO2 Grades Drive Value and Performance in Paints

TiO2 enjoys this strong position in the coatings industry for one reason – it is able to provide paints with white opacity that is needed to make both white and colored paints. TiO2 provides this opacity by scattering light out of the paint film before it reaches the substrate. This can be contrasted to opacity through light absorption, when the paint film absorbs light before it interacts with the substrate. There is a severe visual limitation when using light absorption to provide opacity—with light absorption, only a black film is possible. White and colored films use light scattering for opacity.