Glass Protection Via Sol-Gel Coatings

The aim of this study was to prepare by means of the sol-gel technique and to characterise thin films showing an anti scratch behaviour to improve the scratch and abrasion resistance of glass items. The improvement of the surface mechanical properties of a material can be obtained through the deposition of films exhibiting a resistance to indentation higher than the substrate, a good adhesion to it amid more generally, a regular surface morphology. To obtain that, films of a single oxide (ZrO2 or TiO2) and of mixed oxides (ZrO2-B2O3 and TiO2-B2O3) have been deposited by dip coating from a solution, followed by thermal treatment.