Hydrophilic film and method for forming same on substrate

A hydrophilic article comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• a hydrophilic film formed on the substrate,
• wherein the film has a hydrophilic outermost layer, wherein the outermost layer has a matrix phase and a disperse phase distributed over the matrix phase, wherein the matrix phase comprises a combination of titania and an amorphous metal oxide and the disperse phase comprises at least one compound which is selected from the group consisting of silica and alumina and is in a form of particles, wherein the amorphous metal oxide has a particle diameter that is less than that of the said at least one compound, the outermost layer prepared by a method comprising the sequential steps of:
• (a) providing a sol mixture including a first sol containing a precursor of the titania, a second sol containing the at least one compound, and a third sol containing a precursor of the amorphous metal oxide;
• (b) coating the substrate with the sol mixture, thereby to form thereon a precursory film;
• and
• (c) baking the precursory film into the outermost layer.