Composite Interfaces, Vol.19, No.9, 547-556, 2012
Fluorosilica/sepiolite hybrids for hydrophobic coating
Fluorosilica/sepiolite hybrid composite materials for hydrophobic coating were prepared by the solution dispersion method. At first, sepiolite was dispersed in N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAc). Then, tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2,-tetrahydroctyl triethoxysilane was added to the solution. For large-area coating, polynorbornene dicarboxylic anhydride was also added. The surface morphology and hydrophobicity of the hybrid composites were controlled by the fluorosilane contents. The hybrids were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), water contact angles and pencil hardness test. The maximum value of the water contact angle of the hybrids was 152o. The hardness of the hybrid films was enhanced to 4H with increasing the fluorosilica and PNA contents. The hybrid composites showed good antistaining properties in the writing and erasing test on a glass substrate up to eight times.