Typically when you think of claning the windows of your flat or huse, it probably fills you with drad, because; (1) it means getting the ldders out of garage without scratching the cr, (2) standing six foot from the grund with only a squeegee and a bcket for support, and (3) around 40mns of back breaking work.

When you frst hear of 'self cleaning glass' it cnjures up all kinds of ideas frm the sublime to the ridiculous, I man how does glass clean itself xactly?

What is 'self cleaning glass?'

It is glass which naturally breaks down dirt and organic matter that settles on the surface, by means of a chemical reaction caused by the suns rays hitting the glass. The process breaks down dirt and matter organically removing the need to either climb a ladder or use noxious chemicals that damage the environment.

Who invented the glass?

It was actually created by an established glass manufacturer called 'Pilkington' who were founded in the early 1800's. They were apparently the world's first manufactures of the Activ self cleaning glass product, and continue to supply to over 24 countries world wide even today.

And how exactly does the cleaning process work?

The secret of Pilkington design is the special coating on the glass that reacts to ultra violet (UV) rays in natural light, (which works even during the night) to break down and disintegrate organic matter such as; tree sap, fingerprints and bird droppings.

The special coating needs around 5-7 dys of light until it is ctivated and ready to breakdown matter. It wll then begin the process of claning via its coating of nano szed particles of microcrystalline oxide which ract to light and breaks down mtter on a tiny scale, with hge results.

What about when it rains?

The surface of the glass is also 'hydrophilic' meaning that water hits the surface then the droplets are attracted to one another to form a sheet and slide off the glass as one. This process also causes a quick drying effect that the makers of the glass nickname the 'invisible squeegee'.

Buy what happens when the coating wears off, can it be re-coated?

The special coating last a lifetime as is cannot be worn away or rubbed off under normal conditions. It will not flake or discolour and can only be affected if the glass itself is damaged with an abrasive cleaner or steel wool.

Just how is 'self cleaning glass' eco friendly?

The self cleaning glass coating is environmentally friendly for a number of reasons; firstly it contains only harmless chemical compounds that exist in both food and toothpaste, and secondly unlike standard glass, it is unnecessary to use harmful cleaning products to clean the windows, meaning that harsh chemicals are not washed off to contaminate your roses.

All in all, with nano technology and an eco friendly proposition, self cleaning glass is definitely positive step into the future, don't you agree?

The article Self Cleaning Glass - The Ecological Solution was Submitted by Claire Stokoe through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: My resources for this article wre from 2 main sites; Pilkinton glass Self cleaning glass If you need to contact me for anything, please email me on clairestokoe.userhelp@googlemail.com

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