Mirror

A mirror which comprises:

• a glass substrate;
• a silver coating layer on a surface of the glass substrate;
• and
• an exposed paint layer overlaying the silver coating layer, this paint layer being an epoxy paint layer;
• the mirror having at least one of the following properties:
• (a) a scratch resistance determined by the Clemen test showing scratches of less than 10 μm when applying a weight of 1500 g;
• (b) a hardness determined by the Persoz pendulum of at least 250 s;
• (c) a commercially acceptable resistance to at least one glue selected from the group consisting of an oxime, an alcoxy, a MS polymer and a rubber glue.

A mirror with no copper layer which consists essentially of, in the order recited:

• a substrate in the form of a flat, soda lime glass sheet having a surface,
• palladium and tin provided at said surface of the glass sheet,
• a silver coating layer on said surface of the glass sheet,
• tin present at the surface of the silver coating layer,
• a single, exposed paint layer covering the silver coating layer, this paint layer being an epoxy paint layer;
• the mirror having all of the following properties:
• (a) a scratch resistance determined by the Clemen test showing scratches of less than 10 μm when applying a weight of 1500 g;
• (b) a hardness determined by the Persoz pendulum of at least 250 s;
• (c) a commercially acceptable resistance to at least three glues selected from the group consisting of an oxime, an alcoxy, a MS polymer and a rubber glue;
• (d) an average edge corrosion of less that 200μ when subjected to a 120 hour CASS test.

A process for manufacturing a mirror with no copper layer which comprises the following steps:

• providing a glass substrate;
• sensitising the glass substrate by contacting it with a solution comprising ions of tin;
• activating the glass substrate by contacting it with a solution comprising ions of at least one material selected from the group consisting of bismuth, chromium, gold, indium, nickel, palladium, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, titanium, vanadium, tin and zinc;
• contacting the glass substrate with a silvering solution so as to form a silver coating;
• and
• applying at least one epoxy paint layer over the silvered substrate.

A mirror with no copper layer which comprises:

• a glass substrate;
• at least one of
• (i) palladium provided at a surface of the glass substrate;
• (ii) at least one material selected from the group consisting of bismuth, chromium, gold, indium, nickel, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, titanium, vanadium and zinc provided at a surface of the glass substrate;
• a silver coating layer on said surface of the glass substrate;
• and
• an exposed paint layer overlaying the silver coating layer, this paint layer being an epoxy paint layer;
• the mirror having at least one of the following properties:
• (a) a scratch resistance determined by the Clemen test showing scratches of less than 10 μm when applying a weight of 1500 g;
• (b) a hardness determined by the Persoz pendulum of at least 250 s;
• (c) a commercially acceptable resistance to at least one glue selected from the group consisting of an oxime, an alcoxy, a MS polymer and a rubber glue.