LIFE+ PROJECT: A NEW ACHIEVEMENT FOR ACTIVE

Active has achieved a new goal after obtaining a European patent recently, demonstrating to the international community the importance of the technology and on-going research underlying application of Active technology to the GranitiFiandre Group's ceramics.

Active has achieved a new goal after obtaining a European patent recently, demonstrating to the international community the importance of the technology and on-going research underlying application of Active technology to the GranitiFiandre Group's ceramics. As a result, funding has been obtained for a new project in the European LIFE+ programme for improvement of the quality of the environment and climate (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/index.htm).

The project, entitled "A novel manufacturing process for photocatalytically activate ceramic tiles by digital printing (DIGITALIFE - LIFE13 ENV/IT/000140)", will have a duration of 3 years and aim to modify the existing process for depositing photocatalytic titanium dioxide, based on a traditional spray technology, with an innovative method based on digital decoration with micrometric titanium dioxide based inks and additives that aid the final vitrification process.

The new process will allow the photocatalytic layer to be deposited more evenly, and will above all limit the waste of TiO2 caused by use of spraying, decrease the energy consumption of the overall process and, most importantly of all, reduce the amount of water currently used.