What is Titanium Dioxide?

If you have ever been in the soap making aisle at Michaels Arts and Crafts Store and you saw the two pound block of clear glycerin soap next to a opaque version and wondering what made the soap white? Well, the ingredient is Titanium Dioxide. Now, you are wondering what the heck is Titanuium Dioxide? According to All About Titanium(http://www.titaniumarea.com/cat/974/):

"Titanium dioxide was discovered already in the beginning of the 19th century; however it was released to wider use only as late as in the 20th century.

Titanium dioxide or titanium is the most widely used white pigment in the world. It cannot be found in nature as pure titanium dioxide but can be found with metals such as iron and also in white beach sand.

This white pigment is used in the form of odourless powder and provides whiteness to such products as paints, plastic, paper, enamel, porcelain and also to food and cosmetics like sun block, facial creams, toothpaste and colorants. It can be used both as a white pigment and as a thickener. This is not an exhausted list of products in which titanium dioxide is used today, however listing them here would take up too much of space.

One of the best features titanium dioxide has is the ability to clean and disinfect itself when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Because of this factor it has a wide variety of uses especially in the area of medicine or air conditioning etc.

Titanium alloys are very string, durable and resistant to high temperatures and corrosion – it has even been claimed to be as durable as steel only up to 50 per cent lighter."

There are plenty more articles about Titanium Dioxide on the internet. The most common article I found was the follwowing link: http://www.organicmakeupcompany.com/TitaniumDioxide.htm