TECHNlCAL FACT FlLE

SGG AQUACLEAN is the first glass which cleans itself by the action of water alone.

SGG AQUACLEAN is made by applying an invisible and highly resistant hydrophilic functional coating during the manufacture of the glass.

A glass is hydrophilic (literally water-loving) when drops of water spread out over it until a liquid film is formed. Conversely, a glass is hydrophobic (literally water-hating) when the rain forms very round drops which are then cleared by the effect of their own weight.

The SGG AQUACLEAN range of glass includes monolithic glass, available in 6m x 3.21m sheets and 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8mm thicknesses, and all processed products (laminated, toughened, double-glazed and thermally insulating glass).

It is possible to combine SGG AQUACLEAN with a low emissivity product such as SGG PLANITHERM. This combines the self-cleaning function with exceptionally high thermal insulation to comply with new Building Regulations.

SGG AQUACLEAN glass is currently produced at Aniche in France. The company is planning to gradually equip new industrial lines to meet demand, both in Europe and the rest of the world.
SGG AQUACLEAN is not a photocatalytic glass. This means that its self-cleaning property uses the action of water alone, and not the combined action of water and rays of sunlight (photocatalytic). SGG AQUACLEAN will even work at night.

The thin self-cleaning coating of SGG AQUACLEAN is totally invisible so the perfect transparency and visual appearance of conventional glass are unchanged. In the current state of technological progress, the self-cleaning coating of a photocatalytic glass results in a loss of light transmittance and a visible colour tint, which may be a nuisance to the user.

SGG AQUACLEAN will be accessible to a greater number of users as it will be widely available across Europe.

Both SGG AQUACLEAN and photocatalytic glass reduce the frequency with which windows need to be cleaned. This reduction depends on a large number of factors, most importantly the level and type of pollution, and the exposure of the glass to rain and wind.