Titanium dioxide is one of the many oxides formed naturally in our environment. Manufacturers source this mined mineral from rutile, brookite, and anatase. It is then processed and refined to meet stringent safety guidelines based on the end-use for the mineral.
Lithopone is chemically inert and practically insoluble in acids, alkalis and solvents. The optimized particle-size distribution of Lithopone attained by means of co-precipitation and calcining permit the achievement of a high apparent density, which imparts to Lithopone its low resin requirement and its excellent rheological behaviour.
Aside from the attributes we mentioned above, titanium dioxide is known for its durability, which can create a pigment that’s extra long-lasting. On top of that, combined with other colors, titanium dioxide can instantly amplify color by providing intensity and brightness. That has made it particularly popular for foundation and lipstick formulas.
Lithopone is manufactured by a process (Fig. 1) in which barium sulfide solution is prepared by reducing barite ore (BaSO 4) with carbon and leaching the resulting mass.