Engineered TiO₂ and SiO₂‐TiO₂ films on silica‐coated glass for increased thin film durability under abrasive conditions

Abstract

Thin films durability is critical to retain its performance in real life applications. For automotive glass, further factors such as haze appearance developed under abrasive conditions become relevant to ensure the driver's visibility. Macroscopic abrasion resistance tests of TiO2/SiO2 and SiO2–TiO2/SiO2 thin films on soda‐lime silica (SLS) glass were performed according to an American standard for safety grazing. The purpose of this, was to increase the top active film durability in a bilayer system by understanding how film thickness and top film composition influence abrasion performance. In order to achieve this understanding, three approaches were considered: (a) determination of the influence of TiO2 top film thickness, (b) replacement of the TiO2 top film by SiO2–TiO2 films, and (c) determination of the influence of SiO2–TiO2 film thickness. Results showed that thinner top TiO2 film thickness leads to SiO2/TiO2 bilayers with lower haze value and improved abrasion resistance. It was also found that SiO2 addition to TiO2 top film composition promotes the thin film adhesion and sample durability against abrasive wear. Friction coefficient and micro‐hardness measurements support the abrasion results. Factors contributing to the improvement of the lifetime performance of TiO2 and SiO2–TiO2 thin films were identified.

Field Test of Self-Cleaning Zr-Modified-TiO2-SiO2 Films on Glass with a Demonstration of Their Anti-Fogging Effect

“…Consequently this results in lower bandgap values also [15], hence more efficient use of the solar light in outdoor testing. Additionally, the presence of amorphous SiO 2 phase improves the adhesion of the layer to the glass and abrasion resistance [34,35], which is clearly seen in long-term tests performed in this study (Figure 3c at 90° and Figure 6).…”

Preparation of single- and double-layer antireflective coatings by sol-gel method

“…Kesmez et al [42] emphasized that TiO2 thickness should be kept as low as possible by decreasing the Ti concentration in order to preserve the AR properties of SiO2 layer. Furthermore, the results of Ramirez-Garcia et al [46] showed that outer TiO2 layer of very small thickness (20-50 nm) still gives improved abrasion resistance and lower transmission haze to the resultant SiO2/TiO2 bilayers. If dense A-SiO2 film is used in the double-layer system, transmittance of the resultant stack falls to 87.1% by coating with 0.1 M TiO2 layer and further to 77.1% by coating with 0.2 M TiO2 layer.…”

Design of SiO2/TiO2 that Synergistically Increases The Hydrophobicity of Methyltrimethoxysilane Coated Glass

“…Ramirez-Garcia et al reported the use of amorphous SiO 2 and amorphous TiO 2 on surface coatings [16]. The SiO 2 /TiO 2 layer enhances the durability and adhesion of coatings.…”