Multifunctional bioinspired sol-gel coatings for architectural glasses

• Published in: Building and environment Vol. 45; no. 5; pp. 1233 - 1243
• Main Authors: Cannavale, Alessandro, Fiorito, Francesco, Manca, Michele, Tortorici, Giovanni, Cingolani, Roberto, Gigli, Giuseppe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Antireflection; Applied sciences; Architecture; Building envelopes; Buildings; Buildings. Public works; Coatings; Diffusion; Diffusion coating; Energy-efficient building envelopes; Exact sciences and technology; External envelopes; Focusing; Glass; Materials; Multifunctional coatings; Self-cleaning; Sol gel process; Sol-gel; Wall. Partition; Self-cleaning; Multifunctional coatings; Antireflection; Energy-efficient building envelopes; Sol-gel; Glass; Multifunctionality; Window glazing; Innovation; External envelope; Glass architecture; Sol gel process; Energetic efficiency; Technology; Self cleaning; Product development; Limit; Application; Antireflection coating; Nanotechnology
• ISSN: 0360-1323; 1873-684X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2009.11.010

Although several multinational companies have recently released products incorporating bioinspired functional coatings, their practical integration in building envelopes is still an open issue. High production costs associated to the existing vacuum deposition technologies, as well as the difficulties in extending the number of functions achievable by a single coating, represent to date the main limitations to their diffusion on a large scale. This review summarizes the key topics in the field of functional coatings for architectural glasses, focusing in particular on the potential applications of sol-gel based antireflective and self-cleaning coatings, that have received a tremendous attention in the last years. It provides an overview of the recent research efforts aimed to improve their properties and to extend their range of applicability. The bioinspired principles, upon which such coatings are based, are also described and are related to the chemical and morphological properties of such surfaces.