New sunscreen materials based on amorphous cerium and titanium phosphate

Cerium-titanium pyrophosphates Ce1-xTixP2O7 (with x=0,0.50, and 1.0), which are novel phosphate materials developed as UV-shielding agents for use in cosmetics, were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescent analysis, UV-vis reflectance, and Raman spectroscopy. Since the optical reflectance shifted to lower wavelengths by the crystallization of the phosphates and the stabilization of the amorphous state of the cerium-titanium pyrophosphates was carried out by doping niobium (Nb). Raman spectroscopic study of the phosphate showed that P-O-P bending and stretching modes decreased with the loading of Nb, accompanying with the formation of Nb-O stretching mode. Therefore, the increase in the amount of the non-bridging oxygen in the amorphous phosphate should be the reason for the inhibition of the crystallization. This stabilization is a significant improvement, which enables to apply these amorphous phosphates not only to cosmetics and paints, but also plastics and films. (c) 2005 Elsevier 13N. All rights reserved.