Superhydrophobic coating is an innovative invention in order to make the surface water resistant/moisture resistant. This is basically a type of chemical which forms a layer around the surface after being sprayed and that layer repels water and other liquids as same as lotus leaf does. The phenomenon of ultra-hydrophobicity (superhydrophobic) was firstly studied by Dettre and Johnson in 1964.[1][2]
Types, Uses and Applications[edit | edit source]
General – Commonly, superhydrophobic coatings are being used keep water/liquids/moisture away from the surface. In industries, it is needed to keep moisture/liquid away from the machines so that corrosion can’t take place. Hence in industries, hydrophobic coating plays vital role.
Durable Water Repellent – This is particularly made for outdoors fabrics in order to protect them water during rainy season. Fabrics can be treated easily with DWR through spray.[3]
Rain Repellent – This is invented for car windshield to repel rain water. This is very useful to improve driving visibility while rains. It is very easy to apply rain repellent. Just spray the chemical on clean cloth and then buff the windshield in circular motion.[4][5][6]
Fabric Water-based Concentrated – After the invention of DWR (Durable Water Repellent) which is a temporary coating, coating spray manufacturers wanted to add permanent liquid repelling properties to the fabrics. Thus, fabric water-based concentrated chemical invented. In textile industries, when manufacturing of fabrics is completed, it comes to clean them. Water-based concentrated solutions should be incorporated with the cleaning chemical in order to add water repelling properties to the fabrics. However, this doesn’t make fabric water repellent but fabric will repel water even after 4-5 washes.
Materials to Form Superhydrophobic Coatings[edit | edit source]
This chemical can be formed with several different materials. Following are some of them:-
- Carbon nano-tube structures.
- Manganese oxide polystyrene (MnO2/PS).
- Zinc oxide polystyrene (ZnO/PS) nano-composite.
- Silica nano-coating.
- Precipitated calcium carbonate.
Perhaps, silica based coatings are the most effect to use because this is gel based and can be applied by dipping the object or via aerosol spray. Oxide polystyrene based are more durable than silica but the process of application of oxide polystyrene needs involvement of time as well as money. Carbon nano-tubes are also costly and it is difficult to produce with current technology.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superhydrophobic_coating
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_effect
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durable_water_repellent
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superhydrophobic_coating#cite_note-7
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superhydrophobic_coating#cite_note-8
- ↑ https://www.truworthhomes.com/blog/how-to-improve-driving-vision.html
