Issue 13, 2023

One-step synthesis of a robust, ultrathin, stretchable antifogging copolymer film

Abstract

Recent advances in wearable and embeddable displays have led to an increase in demand for functional coatings that are stretchable and also retain high optical transparency in fogging conditions. Herein, a conformal antifogging polymer thin film with exceptional stretchability was synthesized in a one-step manner using initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). A series of polymer films were generated by copolymerization of a soft, hydrophilic 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) together with a small fraction of a crosslinker 1,3,5-trivinyl-1,3,5-trimethylcyclotrisiloxane (V3D3). The composition of the film was precisely adjusted by controlling the flow rates of the input monomers in the vapor-phase deposition process to yield conformal hydrophilic antifogging films. Unlike conventional antifogging films that often lack mechanical durability due to excessive swelling, the iCVD-based antifogging polymer film offers the means to modulate the extent of crosslinking to achieve an excellent antifogging performance while imparting high elasticity with an elastic limit exceeding 300%. Detailed investigation of the antifogging performance and the mechanical properties through repeated cyclic stress–strain tests on sets of films with different compositions revealed that, in comparison to the commercial antifogging spray coating, the optimal iCVD-based antifogging copolymer film (pH8V1) maintains a high transmittance (>99%) upon exposure to hot water vapor, in the cold-fog transition test, and even in a stretched state.

Graphical abstract: One-step synthesis of a robust, ultrathin, stretchable antifogging copolymer film

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
14 Nov 2022
Accepted
19 Feb 2023
First published
21 Feb 2023

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2023,11, 4318-4327

One-step synthesis of a robust, ultrathin, stretchable antifogging copolymer film

J. Ryu, M. S. Oh, J. Yoon, M. Kang, J. B. You, H. Lee and S. G. Im, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2023, 11, 4318 DOI: 10.1039/D2TC04838H

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements