Durable Anti-fogging and Abrasion-resistant Coatings Based on Polyoxometalates-Hydrophilic Resin Composites with Enhanced Cohesion and Adhesion

Abstract

Achieving long-term anti-fogging performance while maintaining high visible-light transmittance is of critical importance for transparent substrates. However, challenges remain in achieving satisfactory abrasion resistance and weatherability of anti-fogging coatings across different substrates. In this work, an organic-inorganic hybrid anti-fogging coating was developed by integrating a highly adhesive hydrophilic polymer resin with polyoxometalates (POMs). The hydroxyl groups along the polymer chains provide excellent adhesion, while the presence of hydrophilic ionic groups facilitates the rapid formation of a continuous water film upon exposure to water vapor. Moreover, the multiple protons carried by the POMs not only form interfacial bonding with the substrate to further enhance adhesion, but also form multiple hydrogen bonding interactions with the polymer chains to strengthen the coating’s cohesion and reduce its surface roughness. As a result, the coating exhibits outstanding abrasion resistance, maintaining excellent anti-fogging performance even after 1200 abrasion cycles under a 500 g load. Furthermore, the strong UV absorption of POMs prevents photoaging of the polymer resin in outdoor environments, imparting remarkable weather resistance. After 240 h of accelerated UV aging (0.68 W/m², 60 °C), the coating still delivers effective anti-fogging functionality. This study provides a generalizable strategy for designing environmentally friendly, long-lasting anti-fogging coatings with promising applications in glass, optical devices, and agricultural films.