Preparation and Properties of Transparent Composite Coatings Based on Synergistic Effect of Spectral Regulation and Superhydrophobicity

FANG Jingkai; HUANG Yankai; ZHANG Zheng; ZHU Haojun; LI Chengyuan; WANG Chengchao; MA Lanxin

doi:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.14.013

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Surface Technology ›› 2026, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (14) : 143-153. DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.14.013

Preparation and Properties of Transparent Composite Coatings Based on Synergistic Effect of Spectral Regulation and Superhydrophobicity

FANG Jingkai¹, HUANG Yankai², ZHANG Zheng², ZHU Haojun¹, LI Chengyuan¹, WANG Chengchao¹, MA Lanxin^1,*

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Abstract

Conventional spectrally selective coatings for energy-saving windows suffer from critical bottlenecks including susceptibility to surface contamination, single functionality, and insufficient long-term durability, which severely degrades optical performance and energy efficiency. To address these challenges, the work aims to design and fabricate a novel transparent composite coating (TSOM@Glass) that synergistically combines high-performance spectral regulation with robust superhydrophobic self-cleaning properties.
The coating was fabricated through a sequential composite process. Firstly, indium tin oxide (ITO) nanoparticles (30 nm) were ultrasonically dispersed in anhydrous ethanol for 20 minutes. The dispersion was then mixed with a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) prepolymer and stirred at 70 ℃ to remove the ethanol solvent, forming a viscous ITO-PDMS blend. A UV absorber (UV-326) dissolved in n-hexane was subsequently incorporated into the blend under stirring. After addition of the PDMS curing agent at a 10∶1 ratio, the mixture was applied onto glass substrates with a doctor-blade technique to form a uniform base layer with controlled thickness. Finally, hydrophobic silica (SiO₂) nanoparticles were spray-coated onto the cured surface at 50 ℃. The coating was characterized by scanning electron microscopy for morphology, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy for elemental analysis, and spectrophotometry for optical properties across ultraviolet (UV), visible, and near-infrared (NIR) spectra. Hydrophobicity was evaluated by water contact angle and rolling angle measurements. Thermal insulation performance was assessed by monitoring temperature rise under simulated solar irradiation (100 mW/cm²) with both a closed cavity setup and a black-body absorber configuration. UV resistance was tested via exposure to UV light for 144 hours with water contact angle tracking, and self-cleaning capability was demonstrated through particle removal tests on inclined dust-covered surfaces.
The resulting TSOM@Glass exhibited a micro/nano-scale rough surface with a uniform thickness of approximately 19.5 μm. It achieved excellent superhydrophobicity with an average water contact angle of 162.3° and an average rolling angle of 9.7°, which was attributed to the synergistic effect of low surface energy from PDMS and hydrophobic SiO₂ combined with the micro/nano hierarchical roughness. In terms of spectral selectivity, the coating maintained a visible light transmittance of 0.52, dramatically reduced UV transmittance to 0.01, and lowered NIR transmittance to 0.39. Thermal insulation tests showed that after 900 seconds of irradiation, the internal temperature under TSOM@Glass reached only 26.2 ℃, which was 2.1 ℃ lower than that under plain glass and 1.3 ℃ lower than that under commercial ITO glass. In the black-body absorber test, temperature reductions of up to 8.4 ℃ and 3.9 ℃ were achieved after 6 minutes compared to plain glass and ITO glass, respectively. Moreover, the coating exhibited remarkable UV stability, retaining a water contact angle above 150° after 144 hours of UV aging with no significant structural damage observed. Self-cleaning tests demonstrated that water droplets readily rolled off the inclined surface (rolling angle 9.7°) under gravity, completely removing contaminant particles without residue.
The TSOM@Glass coating achieves a synergistic combination of satisfactory visible transparency, exceptional UV/NIR blocking, efficient thermal insulation, UV resistance, and reliable self-cleaning ability. This integrated functionality directly overcomes the key limitations of environmental fouling and material degradation in conventional spectrally selective coatings, offering a promising and practical solution for energy-efficient building windows, automotive glazing, and other outdoor transparent systems.

Key words

transparent superhydrophobic coating / spectral regulation / near-infrared blocking / self-cleaning / UV durability

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FANG Jingkai, HUANG Yankai, ZHANG Zheng, ZHU Haojun, LI Chengyuan, WANG Chengchao, MA Lanxin. Preparation and Properties of Transparent Composite Coatings Based on Synergistic Effect of Spectral Regulation and Superhydrophobicity[J]. Surface Technology. 2026, 55(14): 143-153

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