Self-cleaning glass windows

Alien technology? No! A thin coating of titanium dioxide on your windows will use the UV in sunlight to burn away dirt and wash itself clean with rainwater.

[@USWaterRockets]

it is utterly impossible to stop watching your videos once they begin playing.

[@joeltroughton3805]

You can deposit a TiO2 layer onto glass really easy by spraying titanium isopropoxide (from reacting TiCl4 with isopropanol) mixed with acetyl acetone, followed by heating to ~450C. We use this method to deposit thin, conformal layers of TiO2 as electron-selective contacts in photovoltaics. Really cool video!

[@AustrianAnarchy]

+Joel Troughton Would that work on a glass headlight housing for a car? What I mean is, those retro looking round headlights that actually have a replaceable bulb in the back.

[@GRBtutorials]

Fortnite Vids Well, in comparison to sputtering, where you need a high vacuum (for which you need two pumps, and it’s not easy to reach, you can only use certain materials...) and high voltage, it’s quite easy.

[@NickMoore]

Sweet, your industrial processes at home are always cool. A lot of tech always seems like it falls into the territory of industrial black magic but you bring it right back to being attainable.

[@motherjoon]

When I watch your videos I just realize that some engineers know these stuff but can't use them In real life. Your videos are a great inspiration for those engineers.

[@alexandermcgilton9204]

I don't believe for a moment that the carbon emitted from these windoes is at all significant. We are talking about grams of dust being converted to Co2, compare that to the amount of fossil fuel needed to transport and hoist a washing crew to manually wash windows on a high rise.

[@6ixConfessions]

Not to mention the detergents used by the window cleaners. Don't imagine they're particularly environmentally friendly.

[@apexmike849]

+Kimm 65 Actually, I recall speaking to many professional window washers in London UK and they don't use any form of surfactants at all - pure water only.

[@6ixConfessions]

ApexMike oh okay well that's interesting to know. I always assumed they'd need some form of detergent or chemical to remove the dust and grime especially in larger cities.

[@joekunedo]

@@6ixConfessions I've seen them clean on TV and they had one bucket to clean then a sprayer of pure water to rinse. It was like dirty jobs or something.

[@GRBtutorials]

ApexMike Still, just the increased rate of breathing that comes with cleaning is more than the amount of CO2 released by this. Also, there’s the problem of removing the dirt from the water after it’s thrown into the drain.

[@GateCrasherVI]

"When I grow up, I wanna be a Ben Krasnow" is now totally a legitimate goal in my book =)

[@yoyofargo]

I made a fish tank with some tio2 glass. My process was a little simpler though. Baked a sheet of glass in a kiln and then dusted it with cabosil/tio2 mix when it was red hot. Taking a torch to it afterwards to release trapped air underneath the particles. It was effective for algae prevention but in the same breath the plants and corals loved it and they seemed to thrive. Also, the water was a little cleaner and the tank was incredibly easy to keep stable as far as organics go. Yes there was some fogging, but when the rough surface is submerged in water it becomes see through. The particle size is larger though, and it is more distributed. Idk if it would be self cleaning in air.

[@yoyofargo]

That tank had ecotech marine leds. I did supplement with a reptile uv cfl though. I don't actually know how effective my glass was. Something like a tank has so many variables. For all I know the algae might have just not liked the rougher surface. The sump could have been sucking up all of the organics. I was skeptical of using it at first because I was afraid of too much peroxide slowly building up, but that was never an issue.

[@meagain2222]

My God you have a fortune in lab equipment.How do you do this?

[@Kevin_Eder]

Your videos are so engrossing! Thanks for sharing !

[@RimstarOrg]

Interesting. I have an old LCD monitor that's supposed to have a TiO2 layer. I guess I could tear it apart and test the effect of water running over it.

[@hetsmiecht1029]

@Benjamin Salvador a word of warning: this is spam and the reply is a fake.

[@fuizipra]

@Benjamin Salvador benjamin.. :(

[@EnhancedNightmare]

I love that vacuum chamber. Such a clear view of the processes. At work we have this huge metal monstrosity with little cramped space inside and small window to look through.

[@arcadeuk]

Fascinating work as always Ben

[@chamh.l.5456]

Anatase Titanium Dioxide, using sunlight (Ultra-Violet spectrum) to recharge itself, and rainwater to clean itself. Zinc Oxide is another promising alternative. The exact wavelength to charge the TiO2 can be found using Planck's constant, should be around 400 nanometer wavelength, if I remember correctly....

[@seannot-telling9806]

One thing to look at in respect to the Co2 output would be to compare the Co2 caused by machine/human cleaning of the glass on a building. You would need to come up with a Co2 load per square foot of dirty glass and what process to clean it. One other thing to add to that would be the human cost. Window washers have accidents and that would be a human cost.

[@nickwoo2]

Have you ever made an induction heater? I would like to make one for blacksmithing. Commercial ones are expensive.

[@NoxelectronBlogspot]

A GREAT video. Very informative and perfectly explained, I just love how you do these videos and every time I learn something new.

[@sealabfinn8072]

amazing! awesome demonstration and application!!

[@Nexus2Eden]

Great video Ben, you really do put so much work into your projects - I envy your tenacity. Would it be possible to charge a plate on the opposite side of the slide, or in some way use a strong magnetic field to direct your TiO2 for a more concentrated application? Is the sputter coat on the interior or ex? And just for shits and grins, wouldn't it be amazing if we could engineer an algae that could grow in low moisture, be relatively transparent and could enjoy the CO2 and heat being omitted by the TiO2 coating? You know, like a bio-film, that only grows a couple of cells deep, but adheres as film - now releasing O2 and absorbing moisture. Food for thought, eh?

[@wantandlike]

Thanks for the awesome video, Would you be able to tell us how you were able to clean/prepare the glass slides before sputtering?

[@Ecobion]

For anyone who wants to know a touch more about the history of this, it was Pilkington Glass in the United Kingdom who invented self-cleaning glass, currently sold under their trade name of Pilkington Activ (TM).

[@davidedgerly]

I love this scientist... Ben brings a whole new mind to KZbin...

[@bobsagget823]

Exceptionally interesting, thanks.

[@dave5194]

I'm actually learning about this and other nano tech in my class!

[@aetius31]

Nice video, as usual !

[@elboa8]

Hi Ben. I think if B. Franklin had been able to video his workshop projects, the results would have been similar. Nice.

[@h.e.c.t.o.r.]

It would be great if you could make a video about photocatalysis, I believe it's quite related with this project

[@landlockedviking]

very cool! could you not use a ppo(partial pressure oxygen) gauge like they use in scuba or closed circuit rebreathers to monitor and control your oxygen percentage/ratio?

[@user-hh4uu9jd9f]

Very nice and practice video! Can you help me? How fabricate photovoltaic cover for the windows glass? What the matter used?

[@mrsipo1975]

As usual, awesome!

[@Cybeonix]

Very cool stuff!

[@FhtagnCthulhu]

I love TiO2, such a useful chemical, it pops up in the must unusual places. Thanks for the tutorial, I may have a hand at this. Not sure what I would use it for.

[@superdau]

How durable is a coating like this (yours/commercial)? Will it wear away with time? I guess occasionally there's something on a window you don't want to to wait for to clean itself (e. g. bird poop ;) ). Will the coating scratch easily with a squeegee (and the small dust particles drawn over the surface with it)? Could you still pressure wash the glass?

[@redtails]

a tiO2 coating will definitely be affected by (acid) rain and other harsh conditions such as cleaning. Considering this, I don't believe this coating will last the lifetime of the glass

[@rionmotley860]

Could you sputter Ti and then just anodized the film, or would you get too much electrical discontinuity mid-process?

[@poshepoket]

there already a coated glass used on buildings and automotive that repels dirt but i really dont know the process all i know is that they apply the coating into already installed glass, the company name is Diamon-fusion international but this process seems to be lot more complex but quite smart :) good job

[@ameerahammad9338]

what is the solvant of the titanium dioxide ? and where do i get the thin coating of the titanium dioxide ?

[@aetius31]

Do you think the same effect could work with a cheaper 365 nm led diode source? (with the same irradiance level of course)

[@jiexiang123]

Hi Ben, what would happen if you coated the surface of the glass with titanium metal instead and then let it sit in an oxygen rich environment. Would it turn into a layer of TiO2?

[@bombapiotr]

Is there a method that could be used for bigger glass parts? I think this coating would be great for fish tank glass to prevent algae growth.

[@imchris5000]

the orginal way to do this was to purge the glass of sodium and then plate it in an acid bath

[@texasrobinluo]

Have you heard about nano titania sol? At 5-7 nm, they can be sprayed on and the result is much better given the spraying nozzle is a specialized one.

[@frostedtangerine6898]

Would this work underwater? For example in an aquarium to keep algae and residue from sticking to the glass? The aquarium has powerful lights on it to simulate the sun including UV radiation and lots of internal flow to push the “dirt” particles off the glass

[@dougankrum3328]

Have you found the cylinder gasses from welding supply stores to be pure enough for your demonstrations?

[@Mybored001]

If this could be applied on a commercial scale this would be a fine coating for solar panels. Mine are on towers and its a pain the ass to get up there and manually clean them. I use homemade "bots" for heavy cleaning like snow bit its the dust, dirt etc. that is the real bane of panels.

[@randytravis5893]

Could you coat a small solar panel and see if it will increase efficiency by keeping the glass clean and not absorbing light that is converted into energy?

[@seanmcmunn88]

How thin can this layer be before its not effective? Also how hard is this layer? For regular handling I wouldn't want the coating to scratch Very cool, and I'm thinking may be great for some of my UV windows to help with photo-contamination issues we have.

[@aaronokimoore]

This is really interesting, but how would this scale to larger windows? Are there coating methods for large glass that would allow this to be done at scale in a home lab?

[@carlhewitt1395]

A bit impractical in a home lab, This is a pretty standard glazing option available now. Used on Conservatories, High rise buildings, areas not easily cleaned etc. Anywhere you want. There are lots of coatings available, for UV, Heat Protection, Insulation etc...

[@dannysulyma6273]

More information for my brain, Thanks again Ben. Is there anything you cannot demonstrate ? Half expecting you to build a small nuclear reactor one day. Keep up the good work.

[@BasedBidoof]

ah so that's the color that's on some windows. Really neat

[@RunnerPack]

If the Ti is so reactive, could you just deposit some Ti, expose it to O2, and repeat to desired thickness? You'd want to protect your donor "chunk" from the O2 to keep it "sputterable".

[@subliminalvibes]

This is the best channel on KZbin!

[@douglasharley2440]

*you are a credit to humanity.*

[@brettcoles6462]

Your sputtering setup looks like a Hall-effect thruster.

[@nicolasfigueroa4429]

if used in a solar panel, would the TiO2 coating lower the power production of the panel?

[@gollumondrugs]

Very interesting about your comment about the production of CO2 from the reaction to sunlight. I am wondering how significant this would be if all windows in the world were coated with TiO2. Something tells me it would be literally a drop in the ocean!

[@yoyofargo]

They cause more carbon fixation than the amount of CO2 they release if you really think about it. Terpenes in the air would be fixed into aerosols lower in the atmosphere from the negative hydroxyl ions the TiO2 kicks out. Other particle pollutants and plasticizers would be attracted to the negative hydroxyl ions and become dense and fall down to the earth for the fungi/bacteria to turn them into something useful. This is better than them floating free for people and animals to breathe. Ions that happen to find their way to nearby plant life will assist the plant in its growth and fixation. Plants use electricity to create and store sugars. Plants are constantly fighting against positive ions; with the hydroxyl ion emitting surfaces nearby, they will have less to compete against and therefore thrive. The benefit to the plants outweighs the amount of CO2 the surfaces put off by a ridiculously enormous amount. ... I sound nuts. :/

[@yoyofargo]

yoyofargo I mention the terpenes as this would mean it could have some sort of effect on the weather patterns, aka rain. aerosols act as nucleation points for water droplet formation. They are the hearts of raindrops.

[@redtails]

If you think about it, if it's true, it's actually beneficial if this glass coating is making CO2. The carbon source would most likely be sooth, dust and particulate matter. All of these essentially embody air pollution, reduce respiratory function in people, reduce visibility (haze) and cover buildings in dirty crud. A surface that magically converts particulate matter into CO2 would be the best thing since sliced bread

[@guggiuggi3687]

yoyofargo Holy sh-- I think you just solved the CO2 puzzle! lol Then again, even if what you say is true, people won't pay the extra cash for the sputtering process. Especially not if doing this meant _replacing_ all the current windows in the world. That's A LOT of -glass- money.. : l

[@yoyofargo]

TiO2 can be applied to more than just glass. It's common for hostpitals and dental offices to spray TiO2 particles onto walls and ceilings. Also, sputtering is just a more permanent way of fixating it to a surface. It can be applied to things many different ways.

[@ralon66]

The coating does not contain fully oxidized TiO2 rather Ti2O3 or similar.

[@4hodmt]

Could you do the same thing with nitrogen instead to do titanium nitride coating?

[@gr33nDestiny]

I got the idea because my windows that I got tinted are fantastic!

[@jamesgrimwood1285]

Someone needs to invent self cleaning glass that works in climates where it rains a lot, but is rarely sunny - like the UK. I live on a busy road, my windows are never clean.

[@megmarioify]

Even if it's clody outside the uv light will still hit the glass. That's why you can get a tan or sunburn even if it's overcast.

[@ImmortalAK]

James Grimwood There has been an invention to deal with this. It's called an airplane. It allows you to migrate from that type of area.

[@ImmortalAK]

James Grimwood There has been an invention to deal with this. It's called an airplane. It allows you to migrate from that type of area.

[@2grit4u50]

Are there lenses like this for eyeglasses?

[@drrichardhertz]

is there a good way to do this to automotive glass that is already on an automobile?

[@Carl4193]

Is it possible to sputter C60 ?. If so, would you elaborate on it a little ?

[@zagnut48219]

Is it possible to make glass like this glare resistant as well? Because I'm bbq'ing while trying to watch this. Between my finger smudges and the sun, not so easy.

[@shreyasaxena432]

+applied sciences Hey...m doing a project on self cleaning windows... I wanted to know any other alternate method to apply a thin film of TiO2 on glass plate?... Could you help me with this?

[@filia666]

Can this guy please teach a class? My ass would sign right up.

[@eried]

Have you seen NeverWet spray? Maybe they use something similar?

[@Alonkr]

No, what they do is entirely different. The spray actually covers a surface with nano particles that won't let the water cling to it. It makes the surface extremely hydrophobic. I don't know how it affects oils and fats, but water won't be able to stick to the surface and wet it.

[@whitcwa]

Could you use an automotive-type oxygen sensor?

[@jimandtim1656]

Why don't you coat the glass with titanium and then oxidize it to its oxide?

[@6kbps]

Can i use it on windows 10?

[@1Howdy1]

You can't polish a turd.

[@apexmike849]

You can't put the word 'use' and 'Windows 10' in the same sentence.

[@user21XXL]

is it possible to deposit Ti on glass and then let it oxidize in air?

[@MoonyDrak]

OK, maybe I am missing something. But couldn't you coat the glass with titanium in a vacuum then introduce the oxygen to oxidize the titanium?

[@redtails]

this is just a guess, but I think sputtering doesn't work when a vacuum pump is pumping all the content (including the sputtered particles) away

[@SetMyLife]

Very interesting. Black Mesa once again!

[@whatthefunction9140]

Would molybdenum disulfide do this as well?

[@eraser101YT]

See if you can use the sputtering process to deposit nacre onto a glass slide.

[@36trooper]

I would think hydrophilic windshields on automobiles wouldn't be desirable. Products like RainX have been available to make them hydrophobic.

[@molak34]

Can you use a Automotive UEGO to measure the oxigen content ?

[@TheFilledk]

need this on my car plz

[@jflueger]

I see a roughing pump, how large is your diffusion pump? How do you keep the system from back flowing when injecting your gases.

[@AppliedScience]

jflueger I use a needle valve or mass flow controller (basically, an electronically-controlled needle valve) to admit the process gas at a very low flow rate. The diffusion and roughing pumps can handle a low enough flow.

[@richtaylor7223]

Applied Science How about going the opposite way like RainX and making extremely hydrophobic coating that can be applied to glass, but something more permanent than like Rain X, which doesn't seem to last long. Or even something that works but can be made at home, or home lab. Some of the products like Ever Dry are around $200 a gallon, and they don't even mention how long they last. I would like to make something like it , if possible.

[@Vatsek]

RF sputtering would be better for depositing TiO2.

[@raguaviva]

Could you drink that water? It would be purified right?

[@stevenmiller279]

I wander how well this would work on say a car windshield...

[@FictualKyle]

Steven Miller it wouldn't, there's no benefit, the coating wears off.

[@jaimelibrado2675]

cool!

[@ChrisTacklind]

Can this be sputtered onto Polycarbonate?

[@umar11ism]

Can I use thin film deposition?

[@samuelkemp4557]

Was using a UV light source in the shop easier than just using the sun? lol

[@ytrew9717]

Feedback: I found that one hard to understand ( i didn't understand many things about your device: is the titanium a simple sheet liying over a heating resistor? Where the gas are coming from in the device? where is the glass on the device? Is it the circular object on the middle?)

[@RyanHorseHelmet]

So what you are saying is a huge UV ray weapon is possible with a titanium dioxide layer?!

[@youngbloodbear9662]

Could this then be used to shield from uv light

[@sghost128]

You sir as the smartest man that I know.

[@godfather00cz]

likewise!

[@JustinHallPlus]

I want to build my own vaccuum chamber. How thick of a glass bell do I need to use to avoid implosion?

[@AppliedScience]

+Justin Hall You'll find that bell jars come in two distinct varieties. There are thin-walled bell jars for displaying flowers on a coffee table, and these usually have 1-2mm thick walls. They will not hold vacuum without collapsing. Vacuum bell jar walls are about 6mm thick, so the difference is usually very distinct. There are also plastic bell jars which are much less expensive, but not rated for clean high vacuum environments because of the plastic outgassing.

[@JustinHallPlus]

+Applied Science thanks for answering!

[@erikparker9900]

i used a vacuum chamber made from an old 1 gallon apple juice bottle...worked just fine. cut and smooth the bottom, and use the top to release the pressure into the jar.

[@tom_something]

5:53 - Layperson here. That flow meter seems interesting. I tried looking up how they work, but most of what I found was either "how to read one" or "why you should buy our flow meter". I couldn't make out the manufacturer by looking at the video. How do they work? Is the actual gas you're working with flowing through that part of the meter? And if so, do the unique properties of the whatever fluid you're working with require recalibrating the meter for that particular fluid?

[@tom_something]

6:26 - Oooo, that looks interesting too!

[@tom_something]

I'm noticing that the ball in the argon meter is shiny and the ball in the oxygen meter is not so shiny. Even as a layperson, I guess I can derive from this that the fluid whose flow rate is being measured _does_ come in direct contact with that ball. Stainless steel?

[@David-xy2fb]

You never explained how the angstrom/thickness measurement is being measured

[@mateijordache1952]

There is a crystal being driven at its resonant frequency. As the film deposits onto the crystal the mass increases slightly and the frequency decreases. The crystal is designed to have a linear response over some frequency range so that you can measure the amount of material added, but needs to be replaced or stripped at a later point once it leaves that region.

[@realcygnus]

how did you acquire such an abundance of cool apparatus ?

[@1Howdy1]

Knowing they actually exist is half the battle. It seems like most experimentation time is spent inventing equipment that not only already exists, but can be bought either new or used for very little.

[@michaelandbrytanyjordan7573]

Is it actually burning?

[@gr33nDestiny]

I'm adding a comment, with ought watching this video first. Yesterday I put pg on a window to see if that would help it not fog up. I might try it with VG today. You never know. It's all I have to test a theory,

[@ZakarooNetwork]

Gaffers Tape is not an Acceptable level of sealant for Vacuum test chamber!

[@gavinharison7301]

i wonder what would happen if you put this on a car windshield

[@guggiuggi3687]

The windshield on that car would become - you guessed it - self cleaning...! lol xD

[@Randomynous01]

it 2019 and we dont have this why is this @Applied Sciience?

[@JRo250]

@9:14, perfectly timed bird chirp saying thank you for being environmentally conscious? Excellent video.

[@bocian0]

What will happen if we coats glass in MnO2?

[@hokiepokie333_CicadaMykHyn]

I'm waiting to kick-start windows that eat people...