Improvement of glass strength and fracture toughness by a non-brittle coating

Method for preparing coatings for improving glass strength and fracture toughness of glass, the method comprises mixing

• a) a composition comprising up to 25 wt. % of one or more metal or metalloid oxide(s) and/or one or more metal or metalloid alkoxide(s) in the presence of up 4 to 20 wt. % water and 60-95 wt. % of an alcohol;
• b) a composition comprising 5-95 wt. % of one or more alkoxysilane(s) of the general formula
• RxSi(OR1)4-x
• wherein R is an organic radical, R1 is independently selected from hydrogen and C1-18 alkyl, or isomers or polyvalences thereof, and x is an integer from 0 to 3, 5-70 wt. % of an alcohol, up to 20 wt. % water and up to 0.5 wt. % of a catalyst;
• and
• c) a composition comprising 10-50 wt. % one or more metal or metalloid oxide(s) and/or one or more metal or metalloid alkoxide(s), 10-90 wt. % water and up to 100 wt. % of an alcohol;
• wherein the weight percentage of a), b), c) and the mixture thereof, respectively, adds up to 100 wt. %.

A coating on a substrate Coating comprising a mixture of

• a) a composition comprising 50-85 wt. % of one or more alkoxysilane(s) of the general formula
• RxSi(OR1)4-x
• with up to 35 wt. % one or more metal or metalloid oxide(s) and/or one or more metal or metalloid alkoxide(s) in the presence of up to 10 wt. % water and up to 30 wt. % of an alcohol and up to 1 wt. % of a catalyst, wherein R is an organic radical, R′ is independently selected from hydrogen and C1-18 alkyl, or isomers or polyvalences thereof, and x is an integer from 0 to 3;
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• b) a composition comprising 20-100 wt. % of one or more metal or metalloid oxide(s) and/or one or more metal or metalloid alkoxide(s), up to 80 wt. % of an alcohol, up to 20 wt. % water and up to 1 wt. % of a catalyst;
• and
• c) a composition comprising up to 50 wt. % one or more metal or metalloid oxide(s) and/or one or more metal or metalloid alkoxide(s), up to 100 wt. % water and up to 100 wt. % of an alcohol;
• wherein the weight percentage of a), b), c) and the mixture thereof, respectively, adds up to 100 wt. %.