Surface and mechanical properties of an organic-inorganic super- hydrophobic coating using modified nano-SiO2 and mixing polyurethane emulsion as raw materials

A series of organic-inorganic super-hydrophobic coatings were prepared using nano-SiO₂ particles modified by fluorine and silicone coupling agents, and a mixing polyurethane emulsion as main raw materials. The mixing polyurethane emulsion was consisted of the polyurethane emulsion end-terminated by double bond (WPUD) and polyurethane emulsion modified by silicone (WPUS). The influence of content of modified nano-SiO₂ particles and the weight ratio of WPUS to WPUD on microstructure and hydrophobicity of the coating surface were studied. The morphologies of coating surface were examined using SEM and AFM, hydrophobicity of the coating was researched by examining static water contact angle and so on. It was found that modified nano-SiO₂ particle was an indispensable factor during the preparation of super-hydrophobic coating. The roughness and hydrophobicity of the coating surface were enhanced obviously with an increase of the content of the modified nano-SiO₂ particles. When the content of the modified nano-SiO₂ particles increased up to 1.5%, the surface of coating possessed good super-hydrophobicity, and static water contact angle reached 169.1°. It was also noticed that the weight ratio of WPUS to WPUD in the base layer has also an important influence on the hydrophobicity and mechanical property of coating surface. With an increase of the ratio of WPUS to WPUD the hydrophobicity of the coating was enhanced, the tensile strength and peel strength reduced, but the elongation at break increased. When the weight ratio of WPUS to WPUD reaches up to 9/100, the static water contact angle reaches the maximum value of 169.1°.