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Description: In the early 1990s, scientists at the Italcementi Group in Bergamo, Italy, produced a self-cleaning concrete that keeps buildings from tarnishing from pollutants in the atmosphere. They made the concrete by adding particles of the white pigment titanium dioxide to the cement component. When titanium dioxide absorbs ultraviolet light, it becomes highly reactive and breaks down pollutants that come into contact with the concrete's surface. The reactive material can kill bacteria and fungi as well as break down pollutants. Although the technology had been used for over a decade in other materials including tiles and glasses, the first application of this technology in concrete was on the Dives in Misericordia Church in Rome; the architect wanted a building material that would stay bright. Italcementi scientists, in response to the challenge, developed a cement that contained photocatalysts. In the years following, as sustainability and environmental issues have become a focal point in the building industries, photocatalytic concrete has received increased attention, as shown in the references below. The publications include journal articles, reports, conference papers, and patents, identified through searches of online scientific databases as well as the Library’s collection.
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