Self-Cleaning Glass
June 19th, 2005
The name pretty much explains it all: “SunClean self-cleaning glass is a coated glass product with photocatalytic and hydrophilic properties that combine to result in windows that are easier to clean. The durable, transparent coating on SunClean self-cleaning glass is applied to hot glass during the formation process making it an integral part of the outer glass surface.”
In a nut shell, when organic matter builds up on the glass, the UV-rays act to catalyse some reaction that breaks down the organic matter. When rain or water is sprayed onto the glass surface, the organic matter washes right off the glass’s surface, which has been treated to be hydroPHILIC instead of hydroPHOBIC (hence no beading).
Here’s an introduction video to check out.
It will probably be a bit before we can see the long-run effects of using such glass, but, for now, it’s a brilliant idea: it saves water and protects the lives of all those window washers…by putting them out of work, i guess!
Link (ed. Jeff)
Popularity: 2% [?]
February 15th, 2006 at 3:39 pm
Sounds like a great invention. If the folks at SunClean would like to write an article for my site I’d be happy to accept.
http://www.freewindowcleaningtips.com
February 16th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
very cool idea, I would like to see how well this glass holds up in high wind area where dust and dirt are constantly being blown against the glass. I wonder if the constant abrasion would damage the coatings ability to shrug off dirt? Either way a very cool concept.
http://streakfreeprofits.com