Apart from being visually quite striking, this newly constructed church in Rome is made of smart cement that is self cleaning and that eats pollutants. The cement is coated with titanium dioxide, a compound used in white paint and toothpaste that can become highly reactive when exposed to ultraviolet light. UV rays hitting the titanium dioxide trigger a catalytic reaction that destroys the molecules of pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, which are emitted in the burning of fossil fuels and create smog when combined with volatile organic compounds.
Problem:
Exposure to high levels of nitrogen oxides can trigger serious respiratory problems including asthma.
Smart Solution:
Just like the biocidal paint example in a previous posting, the titanium dioxide (TiO2) coating breaks down organic and inorganic pollutants, that just wash off in the rain.
PROS:
Organic compounds are broken down into carbon dioxide and water, and the nitrogen oxides yield nitrate salts.
The technology is already in use for self-cleaning windows and ceramic tile and surfaces that you can paint
In a 2003 field test in 2003, 75,000 square feet of road surface on the outskirts of Milan, Italy, were covered with this smart cement. Researchers found nitrogen oxide levels were reduced by up to 60 percent, depending on weather conditions. The European Union last year earmarked $2.27 billion for a project to develop “smart” construction materials that would break down nitrogen oxides and other toxic substances, such as benzene.
Applications of Ti02 coated cement could include pollution eating:
- Self cleaning roadway surfaces
- Walls (like the church in Rome)
- Tunnel surfaces
CONS:
Critics argue however: “Trying to clean up air pollution seems to me to be a stretch,” say scientists. “It doesn’t mean it can’t be done. But there’s an awful lot of air and not a whole lot of surface.”
…..Now all we need a natural sink to sequester all that C02
Impacts: what do you think? Pros ? Cons? Consequences?
Walter Derzko
Expert, Consultant and Guest Speaker on the emerging Smart Technologies and author of an upcoming book on the Smart Economy "
.....Strategy without action is a day-dream; action without strategy is a nightmare"
- old Japanese proverb
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