A water container for purifying water. The water container includes an opening configured to receive water, a container body arranged to enclose the water and a water purifying unit configured to purify the water. The water purifying unit includes an at least partially transparent plate, which includes a coating of metal-oxide nanoparticles on a first side facing the container body, wherein the first side is configured to be in contact with the water, and an ultraviolet light module configured to radiate towards a second side of the at least partially transparent plate such that light from the ultraviolet light module at least partially passes through the at least partially transparent plate. Also, a method for purifying water within a water container.

The present invention provides a glass article including a photocatalyst film 1 containing silicon oxide particles 6 and titanium oxide particles 5, and a glass sheet 2. Assuming that the photocatalyst film 1 has a film thickness T, 80% or more of the titanium oxide particles are localized in a region between a surface of the glass sheet 2 and a position spaced from the surface by 0.6 T toward a surface of the photocatalyst film 1 in a thickness direction of the photocatalyst film 1. The glass article has an increased transmittance provided by enhancing the reflection-reducing function of the photocatalyst film 1 while maintaining the film strength and photocatalytic function of the photocatalyst film 1.

Titania-based porous nanoparticle coatings are mechanically robust, with low haze, which exhibit short time scales for decomposition of fingerprint oils under ultraviolet light. The mechanism by which a typical dactylogram is consumed combines wicking of the sebum into the nanoporous titania structure followed by photocatalytic degradation. These TiO.sub.2 nanostructured surfaces are also anti-fogging, anti-bacterial, and compatible with flexible glass substrates and remain photocatalytically active in natural sunlight.

A process for obtaining a material includes a substrate coated with a photocatalytic coating, the process including depositing on the substrate, by sputtering, a stack of thin layers successively including a first layer of titanium metal having a thickness of from 1 to 3 nm, an intermediate layer of at least partially oxidized titanium having a thickness of from 0.5 to 5 nm, and a second layer of titanium metal having a thickness of from 2 to 5 nm; and oxidizing the stack, with the aid of a heat treatment by laser radiation, wherein the stack is in contact with an oxidizing atmosphere.

A photocatalytic device includes one transparent or translucent carrier and at least one photocatalytic film. The carrier is in the form of a sheet with two opposite surface. At least one of the two surfaces of the carrier is at least partially coated with the photocatalytic film. The photocatalytic film is photocatalytic activated by visible light with wavelength>400 nm for providing the antibacterial functionality. In some situation, only the outer surface of the carrier is coated with the photocatalytic film. In other situation, only the inner surface of the carrier is coated with the photocatalytic film. There are situations where both surfaces of the carrier are coated with the photocatalytic film. The carrier has an attaching mechanism for attaching the carrier to the external solid object, and the carrier is attachable to and detachable from the external solid object hands of a user without using a tool.

A glazing includes a first substrate and a heatable coating formed on the first substrate, and the heatable coating includes at least one heatable layer and at least one deletion substantially enclosing a non-deleted portion of the heatable coating for increasing resistance against current flowing through the heatable coating.

A process for activating a layer supported by a glass substrate includes carrying out a heat treatment in a chamber of a stack of several examples of the glass substrate, the glass substrates being separated by an interlayer powder. The layer to be activated may be an ITO layer, or a titanium oxide layer, or an SiO.sub.2 layer, or a silver layer.

Apparatus for a smudge-resistant structure and related fabrication methods are provided. An exemplary smudge-resistant structure includes a transparent substrate having a macrostructured surface configured to reduce contact with the transparent substrate and an oxidizing layer overlying the macrostructured surface.

A low-reflection coated glass sheet of the present invention includes a glass sheet and a low-reflection coating. The low-reflection coating is formed on at least a portion of one principal surface of the glass sheet and contains a binder containing silica as a main component, fine silica particles bound by the binder, and fine titania particles bound by the binder. The low-reflection coating satisfies the following relationships: 30 mass %<C.sub.SP<68 mass %; 12 mass %C.sub.TP<50 mass %; 20 mass %<C.sub.Binder<43.75 mass %; C.sub.TP/C.sub.Binder0.6; C.sub.Binder<25 mass % in the case of C.sub.SP55 mass %; and C.sub.TP>20 mass % in the case of C.sub.SP<55 mass %. The low-reflection coated glass sheet has a transmittance gain of 2.0% or more.

A method of forming a titania-coated inorganic particle comprising the steps of: (a) agitating a mixture of inorganic particle and organic solvent; (b) adding titania precursor dropwise into the mixture of step (a) under agitation; and (c) adding catalyst to the mixture of step (b) thereby converting said titania precursor to titania which then forms a coating on said inorganic particle; wherein steps (a) to (c) are performed at neutral pH and ambient temperature.