Fabrication of ambient-curable superhydrophobic fluoropolysiloxane/TiO2 nanocomposite coatings with good mechanical properties and durability

Ambient-curable superhydrophobic fluoropolysiloxane/TiO2 nanocomposite coatings were prepared simply by blending a hydrophobic binder with TiO2 nanoparticles. The binder consisted of triethoxysilyl-terminated fluoropolysiloxane (FPU), polymethylphenyl-siloxane (PMPS), and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. The surface wettability, morphology, mechanical properties, and artificial weatherability were thoroughly investigated, using contact angle analysis, SEM, AFM, pendulum hardness rocker measurements, and nanoindentation measurements, respectively. Superhydrophobic coatings could be fabricated with FPU/PMPS weight ratios of higher than 1:9, and TiO2 loads of over 35 wt%. The superhydrophobic coatings had good mechanical strength, excellent artificial weathering durability, and resistance to organic contaminants. It was demonstrated that the TiO2 nanoparticles acted both as building blocks for the construction of the micro-/nano-structured surface, and as a photocatalyst for the decomposition of organic contaminants. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.