GLASS

MODULE OUTCOMES

What is glass?
Definitions of hydrophilic, hydrophobic, wetting, beading
The Lotus Leaf effect
How does self cleaning glass work?
Applications of nanotechnology.

WHAT IF?
you could have a fish tank which is
self cleaning?

WHAT IF?
you could see what was in the fridge without opening it?

THE BIZARRE PROPERTIES OF GLASS

IS IT A SOLID OR A LIQUID?
Despite the solid appearance, glass is actually in a jammed
state of matter.
It is somewhere between liquid and solid
It has random un-oriented
molecules as opposed to
a crystal solid with
arranged fixed molecules
It moves very slowly and
never quite becomes
a proper solid.

ACTIVITY 1
GLASS BASICS
List 5 properties of glass
How is it produced?
What makes it such a useful material?

EXPERIMENT 1 MAGIC SAND

WHAT DO HYDROPHOBIC AND HYDROPHILIC MEAN?

HYDROPHILIC = WATER LOVING

When water hits a
hydrophilic surface, it
flattens and spreads out to
form a thin sheet.

Water spreads

Hydrophilic surface
=wetting

HYDROPHOBIC = WATER HATING

When water hits a
hydrophobic surface, it
beads.

Water beads

Hydrophobic surface
= beading

WETTING & BEADING

Poor wetting (beading)

Contact angle > 90

Good wetting
Contact angle < 90

Contact angles below 90 indicate good wetting, while

contact angles above 90 indicate poor wetting (beading).

THE LOTUS LEAF EFFECT

The leaves of Lotus plants have the
unique ability to avoid getting
dirty.They are coated with wax
crystals around 1 nanometre in
diameter and have a special rough
surface.
Droplets falling onto the leaves form
beads and roll off taking dirt with
them, meaning the leaves are selfcleaning.
Sometimes referred to as
The Lotus Leaf effect

SELF CLEANING GLASS

Scientists have mimicked nature at the nanoscale to
create glass surfaces that are self-cleaning like the
Lotus leaf.
Self cleaning glass

Normal glass

No more scrubbing of
shower screens!

No more Spiderman window

cleaner!

SELF CLEANING GLASS

HOW DOES IT WORK?
Glass is coated with a layer of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide
(TiO2). The titanium dioxide reacts to the ultraviolet (UV)
component of sunlight causing a gradual break down and
loosening of dirt. This is
known as the
photocatalytic stage.

SELF CLEANING GLASS

HOW DOES IT WORK?
The reaction also causes the glass surface to become super
hydrophilic. This forces water to spread across the surface like a
sheet, rather than beading, thereby washing away the loosened
debris on the surface of
The glass as it falls.
This is the hydrophilic
stage.

SO CAN A FISH TANK BE SELF-CLEANING?

Australian company Diamond Shell has made self cleaning
aquarium glass called Barracouta Glass based on the
photocatalytic and hydrophilic process.

SELF CLEANING GLASS

HOW DOES IT WORK?
Another type of self cleaning glass uses
hydrophobicity, not hydrophilicity.
This type of glass is given a coating
which makes it super hydrophobic,
meaning water forms beads and runs of
the glass.
This type of glass is used indoors, such
as in shower screens, where there is no
sunlight enable use of the other type of
glass.

EXPERIMENT 2: APPLYING A MONOLAYER TO

GLASS
GLASS NANO COATINGS
Besides titanium dioxide in self-cleaning glass, other nano-coatings
can be used to change the properties of glass and give it a specific
application.
Lets learn about how glass
coatings change surface
properties.

GLASS NANO-COATINGS
ANTI-REFLECTIVE GLASS
Type 1
Glass, is coated with multiple layers of metal oxides such as TiO2 which have a
high refractive index, meaning light passes through them very quickly.
The thickness of the layers is related to the wavelength of light, resulting in
destructive interference of light reflected off the surfaces, making the glass nonreflective.
Type 2
Another method of producing anti-reflective glass is to coat it with a single layer of
nanoporous SiO2. The refractive index of the porous coating is between that of the
glass surface and air, thereby reducing the reflectivity and increasing the
transmission of light at the glass surface.

ANTI-REFLECTIVE GLASS
OptiView Anti-reflective
glass made by Australian
company Pilkington.

OTHER NANO APPLICATIONS

SWITCHABLE GLASS
Switchable glass changes from transparent to opaque.
A nano-layer of a rod-like particle suspension is placed between two layers of
glass. Under normal conditions, the
suspended particles are
arranged in random
orientations and tend to
absorb light, so that the glass
panel looks frosted or
opaque. But when a voltage
is applied, the suspended
particles align and let light
pass, turning the glass clear.

OTHER NANO APPLICATIONS

SWITCHABLE GLASS

Switchable glass was used in the Big Brother house to

control the view into the rewards room.

SWITCHABLE GLASS
Switchable glass has applications in car sun roofs,
office buildings, and residential apartments.
Skydeck 88 in the Eureka
Tower in Melbourne is the only
observation deck in the world
that can thrill you with 'The
Edge' - a glass cube made of
switchable glass, which
projects 3 metres out from the
building and suspended almost
300 metres above the ground,
with you in it!

OTHER NANO APPLICATIONS

AEROGELS

Aerogels have exceptional thermal

insulation, are light weight, and
translucent.
These properties result from the
nanoporous structure of the aerogel.
The material is 99% air and only 1% solid.
In glazing, aerogels have been laminated
between two panes of glass for
applications where high thermal insulation
is required, while still allowing light
diffusion.

ACTIVITY 2
Research other nano applications
in glass.
Conductive glass
Solar heat control
Any others?

THE FUTURE
Nanotechnology provides new
materials that could potentially
have profound affects on building
design.
For instance, glass can be used
more liberally if it is optically
tuned to block heat and UV.
It would be possible to construct
a building with many more, larger
windows than is currently viable,
since heat can be kept out and
UV photo-damage prevented.

REVISION
1
2
3
4
5

List some properties of glass

Define hydrophilic, hydrophobic, wetting and beading
Describe the Lotus Leaf effect
How does self cleaning glass work?
List 5 examples of glass with enhanced properties.

GLASS