metal oxide surfaces and applications thereof

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a method for grafting polysiloxanes on surfaces of photocatalytic metal oxides by light illumination. More specific aspects of the invention relate to the surface modification of photocatalytic metal- oxide particles in order to obtain hydrophobic photocatalytic nano-, micro-, or millimeter sized particles and to the generation of surfaces having photocatalytic activity and its applications such as an effective self-cleaning and/or air cleaning surface, water purification surface, UV-blocking hydrophobic self-cleaning surfaces, anti-biofouling surface, self-desinfecting and anti-fingerprinting surfaces.

Background of the invention

Photocatalytic metal oxides (such as Ti0 ₂ , Zn0 ₂ , Sn0 ₂ , Ce0 ₂ , Fe ₂ 0 ₃ , Ag ₂ 0, W0 ₃ , AI2O3, Nb ₂ 0 ₅ , ZnS, CuO, M0O3, Zr0 ₂ , Mn0 ₂ , MgO, and V ₂ 05) generate free radicals which can undergo secondary reactions by creating electron-hole pairs under light (mostly UV) illumination. Due to their strong photocatalytic activity resulting from free radicals, photocatalytic metal oxides decompose most organic materials and are widely used in research and industry.

However, it is difficult to modify their surface with organic materials as its own photocatalytic activity decomposes covering organics. This considerably limited or prevented various applications of photocatalytic metal oxides. For example, if the surface of a metal oxide film can be modified with organic materials, desirable functions or properties, such as liquid-repelling or anti-fouling

properties, can be imparted.

In addition, if the surface of a metal oxide can be made compatible with non-polar environments, particles can be dispersed in various solvents and such metal oxides can be applied to wider applications.

So far, however, no completely satisfying method for surface modification of photocatalytic metal oxides while maintaining the photocatalytic activity has been reported.

Photocatalytic metal oxides have been coated with organic molecules having special functional groups for grafting such as silane, amine, and carboxylic groups, which attach well on metal oxide surfaces. Those surface modification methods allow to adjust the surface energy of metal oxides (as disclosed in US20100326699) and, thus, enable a better dispersity of metal oxide nanoparticles in polymer matrices (S. M. Khaled et al . , Langmuir 2007, 23, 3988-3995). However, after UV irradiation the surfaces reverted to their initial state by photodegradation of surface covering organics . The modified surfaces could not resist photocatalytic activity of metal oxides and the coating was degraded.

A composite can be prepared by physically mixing material of two or more components. Typically, inorganic nanoparticles are dispersed in an organic matrix (e.g. a polymer) for a coating embedding inorganic nanoparticles. To evenly

distribute the nanoparticles in the matrix and prevent the particles from aggregation, their surface energy needs to be adjusted. This adjustment is essential as the nanoparticles have a large surface area-to-volume ratio. In general, being able to adjust the surface energy facilitates the use of photo-catalytic metal oxide particles in various applications. However, a conventional surface modification by grafting with functional groups is not long-term stable due to said

photocatalytic activity.

Photocatalytic metal oxides were used as composites with several other polymers, e.g. polytetrafluoroethylene (T.

Kamegawa et al., Adv. mater 2012, 24, 3697-3700) and

poly (methyl methacrylate) (N. Yoshida et al., Thin Solid

Films 2006, 502, 108-111) . The stability of these materials with- respect to photodegradation was not good enough.

Silicone oil (such as polydimethylsiloxane) is known to be rather resistant against degradation by photocatalytic

activity (K. Iketani et al., J. Phys . & Chem. Sol. 2003, 64, 507) .

Therefore, there have been various efforts to use photocatalytic metal oxides together with silicone oils. Using a mixture of photocatalytic metal oxides and silicone oil as a composite is the most prominent method. Photocatalytic metal oxide particle composites with silicone oil showed better stability against photocatalytic degradation. Therefore, silicone oil was applied as a template or binder (M.T.S.

Tavares et al., Surf. & Coat. Tech. 2014, 239, 16-19;

US5616532) for fixing photocatalytic metal oxides in or on composite films or structures. However silicone oil was not chemically bound on the metal oxide surfaces and did not have good processiblity, only could be applied on limited films.

It is known that siloxanes can be grafted to a metal oxide surface by heating or acids (G. Graffius et al . , Langmuir 2014, 30, 14797-14807; J. W. Krumpfer et al., Faraday

Discuss. 2010, 146, 103-111; J. W. Krumpfer et al., Langmuir 2011, 27, 11514-11519) . Other coupling reactions for

siloxanes involve the participation of chemical coupling agents and the presence of suitable functional groups in the respective siloxane molecules.

EP 11066653 A2 discloses a method for producing a composite layer of cured polyorganosiloxane and metal oxide particles which uses a silanol group containing polyorganosiloxane and illumination to cure the polyorganosiloxane by crosslinking silanol groups. Similarly, EP 2128214 Al discloses a method for producing a composite layer which is based on silicone (or silica) and hydrophobic resin mixed with photocatalytic oxide particles and wherein a functional group containing polysiloxane resin is crosslinked . EP 1712531 A2 describes the use of a photocatalytic surface as a hydrophilic surface. Since the photocatalytic activity decomposes hydrophobic organics, the wetting property of the photocatalytic surface changes to hydrophilic.

However, these methods of the prior art are typically slow, energy-consuming and/or are not suitable for polysiloxanes substrate such as PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) substrate and some substrates, e.g. temperature-sensitive or acid-sensitive substrates, and/or not able to provide a hydrophobic surface.

In view of the drawbacks of the prior art, the main object of the present invention was to provide an improved method for grafting siloxanes and/or polysiloxanes on the surface of photocatalytic metal oxides as well as to provide the

corresponding hydrophobic polysiloxane-grafted metal oxide surfaces for a broad range of applications. This objective has been achieved by providing a novel method for direct grafting polysiloxanes on the surface of

photocatalytically active metal oxides by irradiation with light according to claim 1 and the polysiloxane-grafted metal oxide surface of claim 11. Additional aspects and more specific embodiments of the invention are the subject of further claims.

Description of the invention

The method of the present invention for grafting polysiloxanes on the surface of photocatalytically active metal oxides comprises at least the following steps:

a) providing a surface of a photocatalytically active metal oxide;

b) providing a siloxane, a polysiloxane or a mixture of polysiloxanes on the metal oxide surface;

c) irradiating the reaction mixture with light including wavelengths in the range from 180 nm to 550 nm for a

sufficient time to generate reactive moieties in said

polysiloxanes and to form covalent Si-O-Me (Me = metal) bonds between said reactive moieties of the polysiloxanes and the metal oxide surface;

d) optionally separating unreacted molecules from the

polysiloxane-grafted metal oxide surface;

wherein no silane coupling agent or cross-linking agent is present in the reaction mixture and/or participates in said grafting reaction.

Scheme 1 below illustrates a grafting reaction on an

exemplary metal oxide surface.

Scheme 1. A grafting reaction of silicone oil (PDMS) on a T 1O2 surface by UV illumination. Silicone oil is partially decomposed by free radicals generated from Ti0 ₂ under UV light, and then decomposed silicone oil is grafted on the T1O2 via a Si-O-Ti chemical bond.

Principally, the siloxane(s) or polysiloxane ( s ) can be grafted according to the method of the present invention the surface of any photocatalytically active metal oxide.

The photocatalytically active metal oxide as used herein may also comprise or represent a plurality of metals or metal oxides and/or the metal of said photocatalytically active metal oxide may also comprise or represent a metal alloy.

The term "metal oxide" as used herein also includes a

heterogeneous system of two or more metal oxide mixtures and/or a mixture of a metal oxide with other inorganic material .

More specifically, the metal oxide is selected from the group comprising Ti0 _2/ Zn0 ₂ , Sn0 ₂ , Ce0 ₂ , Fe ₂ 0 ₃ , Ag ₂ 0, W0 ₃ , A1 ₂ 0 ₃ , Nb ₂ 0 ₅ , ZnS, CuO, M0O3, Zr0 ₂ , Mn0 ₂ , MgO, and V ₂ 0 ₅ or a mixture thereof. Ti0 ₂ is especially preferred. The polysiloxane may be any oligomer or polymer comprising the characteristic siloxane repeating element -(Si-O-Si)-.

The polysiloxane may include organic or inorganic impurities.

More specifically, the polysiloxane comprises or consists of a compound having a repeating element of the general formula -[Si( Ri ) ( R2 ) -O-Si (R3) ( Ri H n- _/ wherein n is an integer from 5 to 5,000,000, such as 5 to 1,000,000, preferably from 10 to 100, 000, more preferred from 10 to 50, 000, and Ri , R _{2 /} R3, R4 independent from each other represent H, halogen, an organic residue, in particular alkyl or (per) fluorinated alkyl, or -OSi (R5) (R6) (R7) , with R5, R6 R being substituents as defined for Ri to R ₄ .

Preferably, each alkyl substituent is a C1 -C10 alkyl

substituent, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl etc., or a corresponding (per) fluorinated alkyl substituent.

In one specific embodiment, each substituent Ri to R4 (and/or optionally R5 to R ₇ ) is the same, preferably an alkyl group as defined above. For example, the polysiloxane may be PDMS, preferably having a molecular weight in the range from 0.5 to 10,000 kDa.

In another specific embodiment, the polysiloxane ( s ) is/are free of functional groups capable to a covalent coupling reaction with the metal oxide surface (such as carboxyl, amine, phosphonate, and silane groups) , prior to said

irradiation with light.

The intensity of the irradiation may vary over a broad range, i.a. depending on the specific metal oxides and, if present, other substrate materials and of the wavelength of the irradiating light used.

In the method of the present invention, the irradiation is typically performed for a time period in the range from 1 second to 60 minutes or 120 minutes, preferably from 20 seconds to 30 minutes, more preferred in the range from 30 s to 15 minutes, and with an intensity of 0.1 - 10,000 mW/cm ^~2 , preferably in the range from 0.1 to 100 mW/cnr ² , more

preferred in the range from ^' 1 to 60 mW/cirr ² .

Generally, the reaction time depends on the intensity of light illumination and the kind of photocatalytic metal oxide. A longer reaction time is required for lower

illumination intensity.

Typically, the light used for irradiation comprises or consists of UV-light in the wavelength range from 200 - 450 nm, in particular UV-A light (315 nm - 400 nrti) . However, in principle any wavelength range corresponding to an absorption band gap of the respective metal oxide may be used.

Typically, the resulting polysiloxane graft is provided on the metal oxide as a layer having a thickness in the range from 0.5 nm to 50 nm (dry thickness in air), preferably in the range from 1 nm to 25 nm, more preferred in the range from 2 ^' nm to 15 nm.

The photocatalytic metal oxide surface may be any surface suitable to be exposed to the irradiation by light. Said surface may be essentially planar, spherical or 3- dimensionally shaped, smooth, rough or textured, in

particular porous. In one preferred embodiment, the metal oxide surface is the surface of metal oxide particles, in particular of micro- particles or nanoparticles .

The metal oxide or metal oxide containing surface may be provided as a film or coating layer on a substrate, in particular on a polymer, ceramic, glass, silicone, metal or heterogeneous substrate, or represent the surface of a bulk metal oxide material.

Said metal oxide surface may be the surface of any article which may benefit from a grafted polysiloxane layer

thereupon .

More specifically, the metal oxide surface is the surface of an article selected from the group comprising fabrics, filters, meshes, glassware, including optical devices such as sunglasses, windows, furnishings, objectives, lenses, touchpads, office-, laboratory-, sanitary- or medical

equipment, means of transportation, portable devices,

construction/building materials, ceramics, tiles, bricks, concretes, particles of cements, paints.

Advantageously, the claimed method does not required elevated temperatures. It can therefore be applied to thermo-sensitive materials and substrates as well.

The present method offers the further important advantage that surfaces which have been damaged can be easily repaired. One only needs to apply the polysiloxane (which easily spreads on the surfaces) and illuminate again with light of a suitable wavelength. A second aspect of the present invention relates to a

hydrophobic and photocatalytically active polysiloxane- grafted metal oxide surface produced by the method as

outlined above.

Preferably, the metal oxide is selected from the group comprising Ti0 ₂ , Zn0 ₂ , Sn0 ₂ , Ce0 ₂ , Fe ₂ 03, Ag ₂ 0, WO3, A1 ₂ 0 ₃ , Nb ₂ 0 ₅ , ZnS, CuO, M0O3, Zr0 ₂ , Mn0 ₂ , MgO, and V ₂ 0 ₅ , the

polysiloxane is selected from the group comprising a compound having a repeating element of the general formula -[RiR ₂ Si-0- Px3R4Si] _n -, wherein n is an integer from 5 to 1, 000,000, preferably from 10 to 100, 000, and Ri, R ₂ , R3 R ₄ independent from each other represent H, halogen, an organic residue, in particular alkyl or (per) fluorinated alkyl, or -OSXR5 6 7, with R5, R6, R7 being substituents as defined for Ri to R ₄ , and the polysiloxane graft is provided on the metal oxide as a layer having a thickness in the range from 0.5 nm to 50 nm, preferably in the range from 1 nm to 25 nm, more preferred in the range from 2 nm to 15 nm.

Preferably, the polysiloxane graft is coupled to the metal oxide surface by direct covalent Si-O-Me (Me = metal of the metal oxide) bonds between the polysiloxane molecules and the metal oxide surface and the polysiloxane graft layer does not comprise any additional linker compound or coupling agent.

In one specific embodiment, said polysiloxane-grafted surface represents or comprises the surface of a micro- or nano- particle .

The chemically modified photocatalytic metal oxide surface of the invention shows good UV, thermal, and chemical stability. Since polysiloxanes (silicone oils) are hydrophobic, this chemically modified photocatalytic metal oxide surface becomes hydrophobic, showing contact angles of water with the surface above 70°. Typically, a hydrophobic surface as provided herein represents a surface with a surface energy below 30 mN/M.

Particular matter (liquid or solid droplets, particles, microorganisms, etc.) can be removed more easily from a hydrophobic surface compared to a hydrophilic surface.

Hydrophobic surfaces show an improved liquid-repellency .

Still, the coated hydrophobic metal oxide surface keeps its photocatalytic activity. Therefore, a protective coating can be combined with improved liquid repellency while maintaining the photocatalytic activity.

A further related aspect of the invention represents an article, in particular a thermo-sensitive article or acid- sensitive article, comprising said polysiloxane-grafted surface .

The term "thermo-sensitive" as used herein refers to a material which cannot withstand higher temperatures, such as higher than, e.g. 50°C, 100°C, or 200°C.

More specifically, said hydrophobic and/or thermo-sensitive and/or acid-sensitive article is selected from the group comprising fabrics, filters, meshes, glassware, including optical devices such as sunglasses, windows, objectives, lenses, touchpads, furnishings, office-, laboratory-,

sanitary- or medical equipment, means of transportation, portable devices, construction/building materials, ceramics, tiles, bricks, concretes, particles of cements, paints. The polysiloxane-grafted surface or the article comprising the same have a broad range of favourable applications in various fields.

Some non-limiting possible applications are:

Fabrication of self-cleaning surfaces (including solid, elastic, rigid, flat, rough, textured and porous

surfaces, filters, meshes and fabrics) that decompose physically attached particulate matter or adsorbed molecules or nano- to micrometer thick films by

photocatalytic activity.

The chemically modified photocatalytic metal oxide surface can decompose soot, fingerprints and oils (which are a major form of indoor air pollution) and also kill bacteria, therefore it can be applied to indoor glasses and surfaces with effective air cleaning and UV blocking properties .

The chemically modified photocatalytic metal oxide surface can be used for producing an effective self- cleaning glass or anti-fingerprinting screen.

By using the UV light absorption property of

photocatalytic metal oxides, the coating can be applied to glass, for example on sunglass, cars, and all types of windows where blockage of UV light is required or desirable.

The siloxanes (silicone oil) grafting reaction can also be applied to photocatalytic metal oxide micro- and nanoparticles resulting in an improved dispersibility of the coated particles in non-polar solvents. This yields better processability and flexibility of the mixture or dispersion for various applications of photocatalytic metal oxide micro- and nanoparticles. Consequently, a further related aspect of the present

invention relates to the use of the polysiloxane-grafted surface or of an article comprising the same as, e.g., a biocide, anti-biofouling material, UV-blocker, self-cleaning material, anti-fingerprinting material, building material, photocatalyst, in particular non-polar solvent dispersible photocatalyst .

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig 1 demonstrates the photostability of a polysiloxane- grafted Ti0 ₂ surface prepared by the method of the invention.

Fig. 2 shows the photodegradation of the organic dye

Rhodamine B by the photocatalytic activity of a polysiloxane- grafted Ti0 ₂ surface.

Fig. 3 shows the photodegradation of hexadecane and glycerol by the photocatalytic activity of a polysiloxane-grafted Ti0 ₂ surface .

Fig. 4 shows the dispersibility of polysiloxane-grafted Ti0 ₂ nanoparticles in water and toluene.

Fig. 5 illustrates the cleaning process on a superhydrophobic PDMS-Ti0 ₂ surface.

Fig. 6 shows the photocatalytic degradation of Nile Red in toluene by PDMS-Ti0 ₂ nanoparticles.

Fig. 7 shows scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of biofilm formations and cell morphologies on Ti0 ₂ (a,b) and PDMS-Ti0 ₂ (c,d) incubated in E.coli bacterial solution at dark (a,c) and under UV illumination (b,d). Fig. 8 shows PDMS grafting on various templates and metal- oxide photocatalysts . (a-d) Photographs of PDMS grafted Ti0 ₂ thin layer (-10 nm) coated (a) aluminum plate, (b) polyester fabric, (c) sponge, and (d) ceramic; (e) Photographs of water drops on PDMS grafted Ti0 ₂ , Sn02, ZnO, Ce0 ₂ , and Ag ₂ 0.

Fig. 9 shows various PDMS grafted micro/nano structures. SEM images of PDMS grafting (a) mesoporous Ti0 ₂ (20 nm and 250 nm particle mixture film) , (b) ZnO nanorod, (c) micro-line patterned mesoporous Ti0 ₂ , and (d) Ti0 ₂ coated etched

aluminum.

The following examples are given to illustrate the present invention in more detail, without limiting the same to the specific materials and parameters used in said examples.

EXAMPLE 1

Preparation of polyxsiloxane-grafted

metal oxide surfaces

Smooth or rough/porous surfaces of photocatalytically active metal oxides, in particular titanium dioxide, were covered with silicone oils (polydimethysiloxanes with various chain lengths (0.5 - 200 kDa) ) . This can be achieved, e.g., by spreading the silicone oil on the surface or by dipping a metal oxide surface in a polysiloxane filled bath. The covered surface was illuminated with UV-light, typically UV-A light (315 nm - 400 nm) , for various time periods, for example 30 s at an intensity of 10 mW/cm ^~2 , 10 minutes at an intensity of 2 mW/cirr ² , or 60 minutes at an intensity of 0.1 m /cm ^"2 . Fig. 8 shows PDMS grafting on various templates and different kinds of metal-oxide photocatalysts : (a-d) Photographs of PDMS grafted T 1O2 thin layer (-10 nm) coated (a) aluminum plate, (b) polyester fabric, (c) sponge, and (d) ceramic, (e) Photographs of water drops on PDMS grafted T 1O2 , Sn0 ₂ , ZnO, Ce02, and Ag ₂ 0.

Fig. 9 demonstrates that various micro/nano structures can be PDMS grafted. SEM images of PDMS grafting (a) mesoporous Ti0 ₂ (20 nm and 250 nm particle mixture film) , (b) ZnO nanorod, (c) micro-line patterned mesoporous T1 O2 , and (d) T 1O2 coated etched aluminum.

Preparation of various exemplary substrate surfaces: Flat T 1 O2 films were fabricated from a 0.02 M TXCI aqueous solution by spin coating onto substrates at 4,000 rpm for 40 sec or by dip coating at 70 °C for 30 min. After heat treatment at 500 °C for 30 min, the T1CI4 precursor formed thin T 1O2 layers (-10 nm thick) on the substrate. Mesoporous T 1 O2 films were prepared by doctor blading of Ti0 ₂ pastes (18NR-T and WER2-0) on silicon wafer and glass substrates. To form a microstructure, the doctor-blade-coated pastes were soft imprinted with micropillar-patterned PDMS molds. The coated or patterned pastes were subsequently sintered at 500 °C for 30 min to remove the organic moieties. The ZnO nanorod surfaces were prepared by spin coating of zinc acetate dihydrate (0.75 M) in 2-methoxyethanol and monoethanolamine (0.75 M) at 4,000 rpm for 40 sec followed by sintering at 350 °C for 30 min. Using this ZnO thin layer as seeds, ZnO nanorods were grown for 2 h in an aqueous solution containing zinc nitrate (0.025 M) and hexamethylenetetramine (0.025 M) at 90 °C. The hierarchical structures of aluminium were prepared via a two-step etching method. Aluminium templates were first etched with aqueous hydrochloric acid (2.5 M) for 30 min, which resulted in a micro-roughness. After being rinsed with copious amounts of water, the micro-etched Al was dipped into boiling water for 15 min to form nanopores. The T 1O ₂ thin layers were formed on these etched Al structures ,by spin coating of a T1CI4 solution (0.02 M) at 4, 000 rpm for 40 sec followed by heat treatment at 500 °C for 30 min.

EXAMPLE 2

Characterization of a polysiloxane-grafted TiO∑ surface

The hydrophobicity and photocatalytic properties of

polysiloxane-grafted T 1O ₂ surfaces prepared according to Example 1 were tested.

Fig. 1 demonstrates the photostability of a polysiloxane- grafted T 1O2 surface prepared by the method of the invention.

T1O2 surfaces were modified with silicone oil (PDMS 9.7 kDa; illumination with UV-A light for 10 min at 2 mW/cm ^~2 ) (left top) and fluorocarbon molecules (perfluorooctyl trichloro- silane, right top) to decrease the surface tension und impart hydrophobicity. Under UV illumination for 10 min, the

photocatalytic activity of T1O2 decomposes fluorocarbons on the T 1O2 surface, resulting in a hydrophilic surface again (right bottom) . On the other hand, silicone oil grafted on the Ti0 ₂ is stable under UV illumination (5 h exposure to UV- A light with 2 mW/crn ^-2 ) , maintaining the hydrophobicity.

Further, the photocatalytic properties of modified Ti0 ₂ surfaces were tested by decomposition of various organic materials . Fig. 2 shows the results for a PDMS grafted Ti0 ₂ surface (PD S 9.7 kDa; illumination with UV-A light for 10 min at 2 mW/cnr ² ) which had been contaminated with Rhodamine B

solution. After UV illumination for 10 min, the Rhodamine B dye is decomposed and surface becomes clean again.

Fig. 3 shows the photodegradation of further organic

materials by photocatalytic activity of a silicone oil grafted (PDMS 9.7 kDa; illumination with UV-A light for 10 min at 2 mW/cnr ² ) mesoporous Ti0 ₂ surface. The initial static contact angle of water on the silicone oil grafted mesoporous Ti0 ₂ surface (133°, (a)) was decreased by hexadecane

contamination to 121° (b) . However after UV illumination for 20 min with 2 mW/crrr ² , the contact angle reverted to 133° (c) by photodegradation of hexadecane through the photocatalytic activity of Ti0 ₂ . Glycerol contamination also induced lower contact angle about 112° (d) but UV illumination treatment recovered the contact angle again to 134° by cleaning (or photodegradation) of glycerol with photocatalytic activity of Ti0 ₂ .

The results of a further test for the hydrophobicity of the grafted surfaces are shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 demonstrates that silicone oil grafted Ti0 ₂

nanoparticles were only dispersed in toluene due to its hydrophobicity, but not in water.

EXAMPLE 3

Preparation of a self-cleaning T1O2 surface

A Ti0 ₂ surface was covered with polydimethylsiloxane (9.7 kDa) and irradiated with UV-A light for 10 min at 2 mW/cm ^-2 . This silicone oil grafted T1O2 surface still has its photocatalytic activity and remains hydrophobic (as evidenced by Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) . Therefore, it can clean the surface by two different mechanisms, including photodegradation . Dust particles are removed by rolling water drops. Since the hydrophobicity is maintained, water drops and the attached dust particles roll off easily. The photocatalytic activity also decomposes oil and soot particles. Therefore, this dual functionality of polysiloxane-grafted photocatalytic metal oxide surfaces allows an advantageous application to various kinds of glasses, metals, fabrics, seramic tiles (for roof, wall, bath, and pool) , cement, concrete, and bricks, where an efficient self-cleaning surface is desirable.

Fig. 5 illustrates the cleaning process on such a

superhydrophobic PDMS-Ti02 surface. As a template, etched aluminum was used. T1O2 (~ 10 nm) was formed on the etched aluminum by TiCl aqueous solution coating, and PDMS was grafted on T1O2 surface, (a) The surface was contaminated by drop casting Nile Red dispersed in ethanol and chalk

particles, (b) The chalk particles were cleaned by rolling water drops, (c) The chalk particles were removed by

superhydrophobicity of the surface, however, Nile Red organic contamination was remained, (d) Remained dyes were cleaned by photocatalytic activity of T1O2 under UV illumination (5 ± 0.5 mW/cm ² ) .

Fig. 6 shows the photocatalytic degradation of Nile Red in toluene by PDMS-TiC>2 nanoparticles . a) Variation of the absorption peak at 510 nm of Nile Red (10 g/mL) solution as a function of UV-A illumination time. Nile Red solution

(triangle) , and T1O2 (square and PDMS-T1O2 (circle)

nanoparticles dispersed (0.2 mg/mL) Nile Red solution were illuminated by UV-A light (intensity: 10 ± 1 mW/cm ² ) .

Solutions were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy after removing nanoparticles by centrifugation (13,500 rpm for 7 min) . b) Ti0 ₂ (left) and PDMS-grafted Ti0 ₂ (right)

nanoparticles dispersions in toluene. Nanoparticles were dispersed in toluene by sonication for 30 sec, and after 1 min, a photograph was taken.

By illumination with UV-A light (intensity of 10 ± 1 mW/cm ² ) , the absorption of Nile Red gradually decreased. These results demonstrate that the PDMS-T1O2 nanoparticles are selectively dispersed in toluene, are activated by UV-A illumination and exhibit stable hydrophobicity . Furthermore the degradation of Nile Red by PDMS-Ti0 ₂ nanoparticles was even faster than Ti0 ₂ nanoparticles. This may be because of aggregation of Ti02 nanoparticles in toluene. Since the hydrophilic surface of Ti0 ₂ nanoparticles caused aggregates in toluene, the

effective surface area of Ti0 ₂ nanoparticles for

photocatalysis was not as large as well-dispersed PDMS-Ti0 ₂ nanoparticles. Therefore the good dispersity of PDMS-T1O2 nanoparticles by stable PDMS brushes allows for a more efficient photocatalytic reaction of MOPC nanoparticles in non-polar solvents.

EXAMPLE 4

Preparation of UV blocking and self-cleaning surfaces, in particular on transparent substrates

Photocatalytic metal oxides (e.g. Ti0 ₂ ) are transparent for visible light but block UV light. Owing to their good UV blocking property and harmlessness for the human body, they have been widely used for UV blocking products such as sunblock cream and sunglasses. Silicone oil grafted photo- catalytic metal oxides are also transparent but block UV light efficiently with concomitant highly effective self- cleaning properties.

Such a surface can be prepared by first coating a photo- catalytic metal oxide, such as T1O2, onto the respective substrate (e.g. glass, window, or quartz) with precursor

(e.g. TiCl4 or Ti-butoxide) or nanoparticles , and then

grafting polysiloxanes onto the metal oxide surface by light illumination according to the procedure of Example 1.

The resulting polysiloxane-grafted photocatalytic metal oxide surfaces can be used for glasses and all types of windows where both blockage of UV light and self-cleaning property are required or desirable, such as sunglasses, car, train, or airplain glasses, and glasses for building or houses.

EXAMPLE 5

Preparation of an anti-fingerprinting surface

The photocatalytic activity of photocatalytic metal oxides has been used for preparing anti-fingerprinting surfaces. It was reported that a mesoporous structure of photocatalytic metal oxides results in better anti-fingerprinting properties.

Here, silicone oil (PDMS; 9.7 kDa) was grafted by irradiation with UV-A light for 10 min at 2 mW/crrr ² on the as-prepared mesoporous T1O2 structure on the glass, and it was

demonstrated that an oil contamination on this surface was effectively decomposed by photocatalytic activity of T1O ₂ by UV illumination (Fig. 3) . Since the photocatalytic activity of this silicone oil-grafted mesoporous Ti02 surface is strong enough to decompose oil by UV illumination, fingerprints, mainly consisting of oily and fatty substances, also can be removed from this surface.

EXAMPLE 6

Preparation of an anti-biofouling surface

Typically, anti-biofouling action was demonstrated either by killing bacteria using a photocatalyst or by hindering the attachment of biomaterials physically by using polymer brushes. Since polysiloxane-grafted photocatalytic metal oxide surfaces still have the photocatalytic activity of T1O2 and physical hinderance by grafting silicone oil brushes, more effective anti-biofouling properties by this dual functionality can be achieved. Suitable grafted surfaces can be fabricated by the procedure of Example 1.

Fig. 7 shows scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of biofilm formations and cell morphologies on T1O2 (a,b) and PDMS-TiC>2 (c,d) incubated in E.coli bacterial solution.

Surfaces were incubated under dark (a,c) and UV illuminated (b,d) conditions for 210 min and subsequently stored for 69 hours more in dark condition to allow for biofilm formation, (a) E.coli colonies were formed on the T1O2 surface incubated in dark condition, (b) No colonies and damaged E.coli were obserbed on the T1O2 surface incubated under illumination (UVA; >intensity: 5 + 0.5 mW/cm ² ) since E.coli were damaged by photocatalytic activity, (c) On the PDMS-Ti02, due to the liquid-repelling property of PDMS brush, less amount of

E.coli were attached, (d) E.coli were rarely attached on the PDMS-T1O2 incubated under illumination by combination effect of photocatalytic activity and liquid-repelling property. EXAMPLE 7

Hydrophobic photocatalytic metal oxide particles

The polysiloxane-grafting reaction of the present invention was applied to photocatalytically active metal oxide micro- and nanoparticles , resulting in an improved dispersibility of the coated particles in non-polar solvents. A porous surface composed of photocatalytic Ti0 ₂ nanoparticles was filled with silicone oil (PDMS; 9.7 kDa) and grafted by irradiation with UV-A light for 10 min at 2 mW/cirr ² . After the illumination, residual silicone oil was removed by centrifugation, silicone oil grafted Ti0 ₂ nanoparticles were purified and redispersed in non-polar organic solvent (toluene) . Fig. 4 shows the results .

This surface modification of photocatalytic metal oxide particles provides a better processability and flexibility of such photocatalytic micro- and nanoparticles for a broader range of applications.