Repels Dirt, Dust, Water, and Even Oily Liquids and Organic Solvents
When formulated into paint, these silica or titanium dioxide composite particles make the coating superhydrophobic. Paint on furniture and the exterior and interior walls of buildings accumulate dirt, dust, air pollution, and other contaminant particles . Painted areas, therefore, need to be cleaned or repainted. Several available hydrophobic paints can repel water. However, no available water based paint is superhydrophobic, repelling water, oil, dirt, and other contaminants.
Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a process for coating silicon and titanium dioxide particles so that when they are included in aqueous paint formulations, they make the paint superhydrophobic. The paint leaves surfaces with a contact angle greater than 150 degrees, such that liquid droplets will barely contact the painted surface, making it self-cleaning. The painted surface will cause water droplets, oily liquids, and organic solvents to roll off the surface along with dirt, dust, and air pollution particles. Furthermore, this is the first paint that is free of volatile organic compounds.
Application
Superhydrophobic paints and coatings that make interior and exterior surfaces self-cleaning while being free of volatile organic compounds
Advantages
- Aqueous version of superhydrophobic paint, making indoor and outdoor painting possible without volatile organic compounds
- Surface contact angle greater than 150°, keeping water and oil from seeping into the painted or coated surface
- Causes contaminants to accumulate and roll off, making a painted surface self-cleaning
- Superhydrophobic resistance to wetting, enhancing industrial paints and coatings
Technology
Newly formulated Odin particles consist of a finely tuned inner core such as silicon dioxide or titanium dioxide and a tailored hydrophobic outer layer. The combination of hydrophilic inside and hydrophobic outside gives these dichotomous particles the ability to disperse in water or other aqueous media and remain dispersed while the medium is wet, then leave behind a superlyophobic layer when the medium dries. This enables their formulation into a superhydrophobic paint that, when dried, makes surfaces difficult to wet, having a water droplet contact angle greater than 150° and roll off angle less than 2°.
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