25 April

Another innovation from materials engineers is self-cleaning glass. A thin layer of titanium dioxide is applied to the outside of the pane of glass. The titanium dioxide uses sunlight to break down any organic dirt that attaches to the glass. Titanium dioxide is also super-hydrophilic, meaning water doesn’t form drops on it, but instead forms sheets, which then washes away dirt. Compared to ordinary glass on the right of the picture, which forms drops and doesnt wash dirt away. Why your windows (house or car) don’t get cleaner when it rains, it’s not self-cleaning glass so forms drops, which leaves spotty dirt patterns.