Preparation and characterization of self-cleaning glass for vehicle with niobia nanosheets.

Self-cleaning glasses were prepared by coating niobia nanosheets and investigated on the performance. The coated glass heated at >450 degrees C had very low turbidity, high hardness, and excellent adhesion properties. Niobia nanosheets ([Nb(3)O(8)](-)) reacted with sodium ions (Na(+)) diffused from the glass into the films to form a crystalline phase of NaNb(3)O(8) and this phase was converted to NaNbO(3) at >450 degrees C. The films exhibited photoinduced hydrophilicity under UV irradiation but low photocatalytic oxidation activity. Excellent self-cleaning ability of the niobia nanosheet coated glass was confirmed by the Taber abrasion test, which is thought to be a candidate as self-cleaning glasses for vehicles.