Self-cleaning glasses containing nanostructured titanium oxide

Using the electrospinning technique nanofibers of titanium oxide were synthesized. As precursor materials, titanium propoxide and a solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone were used. After the electrospinning process, the non-tissue material obtained was heat treated and characterized by X-ray diffraction to determine the phase crystallinity, and SEM to analyze the microstructure of the fibers. After ultrasound dispersion of this material in isopropyl alcohol, the glass coatings were made by dip-coating methodology. The removal velocity was kept constant, but the solution composition was varied to obtain a transparent and photo active film. The film was characterized by the contact angle of a water droplet in its surface (hydrophilicity), the transparency was evaluated using a spectrophotometer and the photocatalytic activity of the film was also evaluated. (author)