Patent ID: 7354650

Claim:
A method for improving the anti-fouling, self-cleaning, easy-to-clean, and/or anti-fogging properties of an article, wherein the article comprises a surface having a coating layer comprising an inorganic oxide network deposited thereon, the method comprising: (1) applying a liquid composition comprising a hydrophilic ungelled essentially completely hydrolyzed organosilicate directly to at least a portion of the coating layer comprising an inorganic oxide network; and (2) curing the composition applied in step (1) to provide a coating layer that: (i) has a dry film thickness of no more than 200 nanometers, and (ii) is substantially free of Siâ€”OR groups, where R represents C 1 to C 4 alkyl groups; wherein the pH of the liquid composition is no more than 3.5 or from 7.0 to 8.5.