Hi
I want to know the relation between hydrophobic glass and light transmission? Is there anybody having mathematical or empirical models or experimental results?
In our Lab, we’ve already, experimentally observed an increase of light transmission when glass is becoming hydrophobic by depositing a nano-TiO2 layer.
I wonder why this phenomenon should be related to hydrophobicity and not to other characteristics, like surface roughness, for example. It would be certainly interesting to see and compare the transmission spectra in both cases. Besides, it seems troublesome (at least to me) to express hydrophobicity as numerical value.
In order to see an antireflection effect on glass (increase of transmittance) following a surface treatment or deposition of a layer, there must be a reduction of the refractive index at the surface (by a layer with an index lower than glass, or by a porous layer, or roughness).
I am really surprised by your experimental observation: TiO2 has a high refractive index, so in principle, a single layer of TiO2 should increase the reflectance and reduce the transmittance. It seems that somehow, in the process for treating the glass surface with the nano-TiO2, there must be formation of a low index surface. Knowing what creates this low index surface layer is probably the first step for modelling the transmittance vs hydophobic treatment.
In order to see an antireflection effect on glass (increase of transmittance) following a surface treatment or deposition of a layer, there must be a reduction of the refractive index at the surface (by a layer with an index lower than glass, or by a porous layer, or roughness).
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