Patent 9556338 was granted and assigned to 3M on January, 2017 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A method of coating with an aqueous coating composition having a pH <5 of silica nanoparticles having a, average particle diameter of ≦40 nm, silica nanoparticles having an average particle diameter of ≧50 nm, and a tetraalkoxysilane. The resulting coatings are substantially uniform in thickness, durably adheres to the substrate, and provides antireflection and or hydrophilic surface properties to the substrate.