Fabrication of transparent superhydrophobic silica-based film on a glass substrate

Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) was hydrolyzed in an acidic environment and then reacted with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) to obtain a superhydrophobic transparent film on a glass substrate. The molar ratios of water and ethanol to TEOS, the pH value of the acidic (or basic) water that is used to hydrolyze TEOS, the heat treatment conditions and other factors were investigated systematically to optimize the transmission through, and the contact angle of water on the film. HMDS (total amount of HMDS/TEOS = 2) was divided into 20 parts, which were added into the sol successively to prevent the sudden production of a large quantity of NH3 in a small area of the sol. The optical and hydrophobic properties of the sol gel continued to change after it had been prepared. The conditions that TEOS was hydrolyzed with acidic water at pH 1.2 at 70 °C and the sol gel was aged at 20 °C for 48 h realized transmission of 90.9% and a water contact angle of 154.3°. No additional surface chemistry modification was needed.