Abstract: There is provided a method for evaluating the contamination by quantifying the surface contamination of an object such as a window glass plate, a wall, or the like in such a manner that the quantified value is close to the visual sensation of human being. The method comprises the steps of taking a color image of the surface of the object, converting a color image data denoting the color image into a monochromatic image data, dividing a monochromatic image denoted by the monochromatic image data into a dot matrix to obtain lightness per dot, selecting an area to be evaluated on the dot matrix, calculating a standard deviation of lightness from the distribution of lightness of the selected area.

Abstract: A surface of a glass plate is coated with a first n-type semiconductor film which is a 50 nm-thick niobium oxide film as a primer layer. The primer layer is coated with a 250 nm-thick photocatalyst film comprising titanium oxide. Thus, an article having a photocatalytically active surface is obtained. The two coating films can be formed by sputtering. The first n-type semiconductor film as the primer layer is selected so as to have a larger energy band gap than the titanium oxide. Due to this constitution, more holes are generated near the film surface. This article can be free from the problem of conventional titanium oxide films having photocatalytic activity that it is difficult to generate many surface holes contributing to photocatalytic activity, because electrons and holes generated by charge separation recombine within the film, making it impossible to effectively heighten catalytic activity.

Abstract: There is provided a method for evaluating the contamination by quantifying the surface contamination of an object such as a window glass plate, a wall, or the like in such a manner that the quantified value is close to the visual sensation of human being. The method comprises the steps of taking a color image of the surface of the object, converting a color image data denoting the color image into a monochromatic image data, dividing a monochromatic image denoted by the monochromatic image data into a dot matrix to obtain lightness per dot, selecting an area to be evaluated on the dot matrix, calculating a standard deviation of lightness from the distribution of lightness of the selected area.

Abstract: A photocatalyst article exhibits high photocatalytic activity even in environments illuminated by weak ultraviolet light or visible light, expresses excellent anti-fogging and anti-soiling properties, and retains good anti-fogging and anti-soiling performance over long periods and therefore has a high utilization value as an anti-fogging, anti-soiling article. The photocatalyst article contains an oxide semiconductor and a compound which contains at least one type of element selected from the group comprised of Mg, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Y, Nb, Mo, Ru, W, and Re, at a content such that the ratio (A/B) of the number of metal atoms of the abovementioned element (A) to the number of atoms of metal that comprise the abovementioned oxide semiconductor (B) will be about 0.20 to 2.

Abstract: A glass article provided with an organic functional film on a surface thereof of the present invention is characterized in that a coating film removable with a solvent is formed on at least a portion of the functional film. A method for handling a glass article with a handing tool of the present invention is characterized in the a glass article is handled with a handling tool via a coating film removable with a solvent between a surface of the tool in contact with the glass article and a surface of the glass article.

Abstract: Coating liquid prepared by dissolving an acid and a silicon alkoxide into alcohol, containing at least one of either a silicon alkoxide or a hydrolyzate thereof (including a partial hydrolyzate) in an amount of 0.010 to 3% by weight (in terms of silica), an acid in terms of 0.0010 to 1.0 normality, and water in terms of 0 to 10% by weight is coated on a substrate to produce an article coated with a silica-based film. By this method for producing a silica-based film coated article, an excellent silica-based film coated article can be obtained without requiring baking and pretreatment. Furthermore, a functional film coated article excellent in durability can be produced in a short period of time and safely by using the abovementioned silica-based film as a primer film and applying thereon an organosilane having a hydrolyzable group and a functional group having a specific function or a hydrolyzate thereof.

Abstract: A conductive sinter obtained from a mixture of titanium oxide particles and 2.5% by weight niobium oxide particles is used as a target in direct current sputtering to form a photocatalytically active film mainly comprising titanium oxide on a glass substrate. The target has a surface resistance of 500 &OHgr;/□ or lower and the sputtering is conducted while heating the substrate at 230° C. The photocatalytically active film is based on an amorphous matrix. This process is free from problems of a conventional process in which a photocatalytically active titanium oxide film is deposited by reactive sputtering using titanium metal as a target. The problems are that the substrate needs to be heated to 350° C. or higher and that the deposited film does not have high photocatalytic activity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to An anti-fogging and stain-prevented glass article having an alkali shut-off film and a photocatalytic film in the order laminated on the surface of glass substrate, in which dents and projections having an arithmetical mean roughness (Ra) from 1.5 to 80 nm and mean interval (Sm) of dents and projections from 4 to 300 nm are formed thereon, and to An anti-fogging and stain-prevented glass article having an alkali shut-off film, a photocatalytic film, and a silicon oxide monocomponent equivalent layer or a layer of organosilane including at least one kind of functional group selected from polyalkyleneoxide group, alkyl group, alkenyl group and aryl group in its molecules or its hydrolyzed substance, laminated in the order on the surface of a glass article. The abovementioned anti-fogging and stain-prevented glass article can be used for window glasses of automobiles and buildings, and glasses, etc.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide an anti-fogging article which is excellent in durability, wear resistance, anti-fogging property and anti-fogging substainability property, wherein the same is an anti-fogging article in which a film having a metal oxide fine particles having a grain size from 4 through 300 nm and having metal oxides used as its matrix is coated on a substrate and dents and projections having an arithmetical mean roughness (Ra) from 1.

Abstract: A process for producing flakes of glass. The process is started by applying a solution containing an organic metal compound to a substrate. The solution is dried and peeled from the substrate. The resultant film is sintered. There is also disclosed an apparatus for producing flakes of glass. The apparatus comprises means 2 for applying solution 1 containing an organic metal compound to a substrate 3 taking the form of a loop, means 4 for drying the film created by the solution containing the organic metal compound, and means 5 for collecting flakes obtained by peeling the dried film from the substrate. The substrate forms a circulatory continuous conveyance path which passes through the applying means, the drying means, and the collecting means in succession.

Abstract: A process for producing flakes of glass. The process is started by applying a solution containing an organic metal compound to a substrate. The solution is dried and peeled from the substrate. The resultant film is sintered. There is also disclosed an apparatus for producing flakes of glass. The apparatus comprises means 2 for applying solution 1 containing an organic metal compound to a substrate 3 taking the form of a loop, means 4 for drying the film created by the solution containing the organic metal compound, and means 5 for collecting flakes obtained by peeling the dried film from the substrate. The substrate forms a circulatory continuous conveyance path which passes through the applying means, the drying means, and the collecting means in succession.