Fast‐Crosslinking Enabled Self‐Roughed Polydimethylsiloxane Transparent Superhydrophobic Coating and Its Application in Anti‐Liquid‐Interference Electrothermal Device

Abstract

AbstractPolydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)‐based transparent and superhydrophobic coatings have important applications, such as anti‐icing, corrosion resistance, self‐cleaning, etc. However, their applications are limited by the inevitable introduction of nanoparticles/high‐temperature/segmented PDMS to facilitate a raspy surface. In this study, a self‐roughed, neat PDMS superhydrophobic coating with high transparency is developed via a one‐step spray‐coating technique. PDMS suspensions with various droplet sizes are synthesized and used as building blocks for raspy surface formation by controlled curing on the warm substrate. The optimal coating exhibits a large water contact angle of 155.4° and transparency (T550 = 82.3%). Meanwhile, the employed spray‐coating technique is applicable to modify a plethora of substrates. For proof‐of‐concept demonstrations, the use of the PDMS hydrophobic coating for anti‐liquid‐interference electrothermal devices and further transparent observation window for long‐term operation in a sub‐zero environment is shown successful. The proposed facile synthesis method of hydrophobic PDMS coating is expected to have great potential for a broad range of applications in the large‐scale fabrication of fluorine‐free, eco‐friendly superhydrophobic surfaces.