Fast fabrication of silicone-modified polyurethane/SiO2 composite superhydrophobic coating with excellent anti-icing and self-cleaning behaviour

Abstract

The superhydrophobic coating has many excellent properties, but due to the limitation of poor surface mechanical stability and sophisticated preparation engineering, it is challenging to realize large-area application. In this study, a robust superhydrophobic coating with excellent performance was prepared by a simple and fast method. The modified silica nanoparticles was sprayed on the hydrophobic polyurethane coating, and the superhydrophobic surface with a water contact angle of 160° and sliding angle of 2° was successfully prepared after curing under UV lamp for 3 min. The coating can be applied to the surface of all kinds of substrates, and it still has a static water contact angle of 150° after 400 cycles of friction on 500 mesh sandpaper. Furthermore, the coating with verified self-cleaning and anti-icing properties exhibits superhydrophobicity to strong acid and alkali solutions. This simple, fast and environmentally friendly preparation method is expected to realize the wide application of superhydrophobic coatings.

Keywords

• superhydrophobic
• silica nanoparticles
• UV-curing
• polyurethane