Enhancing hydrophobic features of glass surfaces by physical and chemical modification

Glass surfaces are susceptible to water and water vapour. Water could exist in glass structure as bonded with CO2, SO2, O2 and N2 molecules with slight amount and adsorped by hydroxyl groups on surface. Hydrophobic glass surfaces are the subject of research in many different fields. Surfaces possesses hydrophobic feature hence the surface chemistry can become hydrophobic via phsycal changes as generating hierarchical roughness. On the other hand, coating of roughened surfaces with a material that has low surface energy is another method for obtaining superhydrophobic surfaces. In this study, glass nanopowders synthesized by two-stage sol-gel process were coated on the surfaces of glass substrates by using spray coating technique. Tack Fusion process was used to provide the adhesion between substrates and coated particles and a continuous surface roughness was formed on glass. Prepared rough surfaces were modified with a variaty of silane solutions to reduce the surface free energy. Water contact angle in the range of 130-140 ° was obtained by using a combination of FAS and TEOS chemicals. The resistance of the produced surfaces to environmental effects has been investigated. Hydrophobic surfaces, resistant to external influences, have been successfully produced by a flexible and simple process method, with a limited decrease in the optical transmission of the glass.