Nano-Particles by Wet Chemical Processing in Commercial Applications

Nano-sized materials produced by wet chemical processing have a wide range of industrial applications. For example, a solution of monodisperse SiO₂-particles for single-layer anti-reflection coating on glass was developed. Although being porous, the anti-reflection coating shows excellent mechanical stability which is sufficient for commercial applications. The coating sol is used to produce cover glass with high transmission for solar energy systems, e.g. photovoltaic modules.Nano-sized materials made by sol–gel processes are not limited to niche applications. Inorganic metal oxide coatings on thin mica platelets are the basis for pearl lustre pigments. The inorganic layers, consisting of titanium dioxide or iron oxides, are obtained by a wet chemical procedure. The well-defined layer thickness, varying from 50 to 300 nm, determines the optical properties of the pearlescent pigment. By using synthetic SiO₂ platelets instead of natural mica, impressive angle-dependant colour effects can be achieved. Synthetic SiO₂ platelets are also produced by a sol–gel coating technique.Special spherical silica particles made by a wet chemical processing are used in cosmetic applications. The size distribution determines the skin feeling of the formulation. In addition, specific colour or anti-wrinkle effects can be achieved.