Sol-gel thin films with anti-reflective and self-cleaning properties

ÇAMURLU H. E., Kesmez Ö., BURUNKAYA E., KİRAZ N., Yeşil Z., Asilturk M., ...More

CHEMICAL PAPERS, vol.66, no.5, pp.461-471, 2012 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Review
  • Volume: 66 Issue: 5
  • Publication Date: 2012
  • Doi Number: 10.2478/s11696-012-0144-4
  • Journal Name: CHEMICAL PAPERS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.461-471
  • Keywords: anti-reflective coating, self-cleaning coating, SiO2 coating, TiO2 coating, double-layer coating, multi-functional coating, DOPED TIO2, PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY, TITANIUM-DIOXIDE, VISIBLE-LIGHT, MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES, RHODAMINE-B, COATINGS, DEGRADATION, SIO2, WATER
  • Akdeniz University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Self-cleaning photocatalytic TiO2 films are beneficial since they reduce the maintenance cost and enhance the efficiency of various optical systems, especially thermal and photovoltaic solar systems. However, the presence of a TiO2 layer on glass reduces the transmission of incident light, which leads to a decrease in efficiency. This drawback can be overcome by applying a layer of anti-reflective coating beneath the TiO2 layer. Generally, the anti-reflective layer is porous silica. The presence of the anti-reflective layer compensates for the loss of light transmittance caused by the photocatalytic TiO2 top layer. This paper reviews some of the previous and the latest fundamental studies in the literature on anti-reflective, self-cleaning and multi-functional films. (C) 2012 Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences