Preparation and Performance Study of Transparent Fluorine-Free Hydrophobic Coating

In recent years, transparent anti-fouling coatings have attracted significant attention due to their potential applications in various fields. However, the development of multifunctional transparent anti-fouling coatings that meet practical requirements without compromising their properties remains a major challenge. This paper presents an innovative approach to address this issue by combining self-cleaning and durability through the incorporation of specific functional materials. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and methyl o-aminobenzoate (MA) were introduced to achieve these desired properties, respectively. Additionally, bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) and 1,3-bis(3-aminopropyl)tetramethyldisiloxane (TMDS) were employed as coating substrates to enhance the mechanical strength of the coating. The structural composition, elemental analysis, and surface morphology of the coatings were thoroughly characterized using advanced techniques. The hydrophobicity, optical transparency, self-cleaning ability, and durability of the coatings were extensively evaluated. Experimental results demonstrated that the developed fluorine-free transparent hydrophobic coating exhibited excellent performance across multiple criteria: it showed outstanding hydrophobicity and transparency, superior self-cleaning capability, exceptional resistance to wear, water shock, and strong acid and alkali properties.