Rapid fabrication of a transparent superhydrophobic coating: potential application with pollution-free under construction

Superhydrophobic materials has attracted considerable attention due to their usage in wide range of practical applications. However, in practical conditions, inevitable high discharge of VOC and dust particles in the common spraying method could be very harmful to the environment and workers as well. Herein, modified silica nanoparticles were combined with a commercial PDMS to obtain a non-fluoride transparent superhydrophobic coating cured at ambient temperature via an environment-friendly method of brushing. The coating can be fabricated on a wide range of substrates in a short time of only two minutes. The coating demonstrated excellent thermal stability upto 360 °C and corrosion resistance in electrochemical testing. Owing to the short fabrication process, the coating can be readily repaired by prompt brushing after being destroyed. With ultra-easy fabrication, it is expected that the coating has a great potential for practical application with different requirements such as low pollutant discharge, high transmittance, good thermostability or corrosion resistance.