ABSTRACT
Self-cleaning surfaces have attracted signifi cant attention in recent years for their potential in both fundamental research and practical applications. Under the scope of self-cleaning smart coatings, this chapter explores the principal features of materials that can be used as protective coatings with an emphasis on the photocatalytic materials that have been developed to date. The chapter also highlights the importance of using titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) as a semiconductor material in industrial applications since it can act as a photoanode for metal cathodic protection.