A chemically adsorbed monomolecular or a laminated monomolecular film comprising a monomolecular film formed on said substrate surface by covalent S-bonds is disclosed. For example, the covalent S-bond is selected of a group consisting of --(S.dbd.O)-- and --(O.dbd.S.dbd.O)--. A method of producing a chemical adsorption film comprising; contacting a substrate containing hydroxl groups present on the surface with a non-aqueous solvent containing a material having a thionyl halide group or sulfuryl haloride group; removing unreacted surface active material remaining on the substrate by washing the substrate with a non-aqueous organic solution for making monomolecular a precursor film; reacting unreacted surface active material remaining on the adsorbed monomolecular precursor film with water; and drying the adsorbed monomolecular film is also disclosed. Further, a method of producing a laminated chemical adsorption film comprising laminating a monomolecular adsorption film by repeating the above steps is disclosed.
An improved transparent optical member, preferably a glass sheet, comprising a nanostructure layer with an enhanced geometry and a balance of chemical (hydrophobic and hydrophilic) characteristics can be formed on a surface. The geometry and chemistry of the layer combine to obtain improved washability. The layer can be manufactured by forming a layer comprising a silicon compound coating, including a silicon oxide coating, a silicon carbide coating, a silicon nitride coating or mixtures thereof. The coating can have a having a thickness of about 1 to 100 nm (10.sup.-9 meter). The layer has a preferred roughens from a random or ordered array of structure. The layer can be doped with di tri or polyvalent metal compounds. Such coatings have been found to have increased washability and such coatings have been found to preferentially bind to aqueous solutions applied to the glass. The hydrophilicity and preferential binding to aqueous solutions (wetability) tends to displace any soil deposited or contacted with the glass surface. As a result, the glass tends to associate with aqueous solutions and to disassociate soil when contacted with aqueous solutions substantially increasing the ease of cleaning the glass surface using water, aqueous cleaning solutions, etc.
