Development of Smart Glass Materials: Anti-Fog and Self-Cleaning Coatings Deposited by Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma

PROJECT COST:

322 580 $

PRIMA CONTRIBUTION:

124 990 $

PROJECT DETAILS:

The glass industry invests significant resources in research and development to address emerging technological and industrial challenges. Although glass manufacturing processes have remained relatively unchanged for several decades, the industry is now facing increasing demands to improve production capacity, enhance product quality, and integrate advanced functionalities into glass products. In this context, the development of smart glass technologies tailored to the needs of the 21st century has become a strategic priority.

This project builds upon the work of G. Laroche and L. Stafford on the development of an atmospheric-pressure plasma process for the fabrication of anti-fogging and self-cleaning coatings. The process is based on the excitation of a gaseous precursor by an electric field, which induces its polymerization and subsequent deposition as a thin film on the glass surface. This approach enables precise control of the interactions between water and the glass surface while remaining compatible with industrial manufacturing requirements and large-scale production.

The main objective of this research is to develop an atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) deposition process for producing glass surfaces with anti-fogging and self-cleaning properties. The process is carried out in a nitrogen atmosphere and ensures complete consumption of the gaseous precursors, making it an environmentally friendly technology that combines high performance, process efficiency, and strong potential for industrial implementation.