Within tile circles, one of the biggest developments of the last couple of years is the introduction of titanium dioxide treatments on the surface of porcelain tiles. I took some time to read over a scientific paper on how it works, most of which went right over my head. In essence, the titanium dioxide on the surface of the tile uses water and light to pull pollutants out of the air, much like a catalytic converter does in the exhaust system of your car. The process is called photocatalysis, and in independent testing has been shown to reduce bacteria by as much as 60% and organic pollutants by as much as 30%. The technology has been in use on other surfaces for a few years now, but there are still only a couple of tile manufacturers producing photocatalytic tiles.

In one conversation I had with a representative of a German company making these tiles, he described a project in a senior living facility. The staff were amazed at how much better the place smelled, since the tiles were actually improving the indoor air quality. If the results are as good as the researchers describe, these photocatalytic tiles will be used in every restaurant, every school, every hospital, and any other place where strong smells and high traffic result in poor indoor air quality.

For more detailed information, check out the Tile Council of North America’s Press Release.