Transparent and Robust Superhydrophobic Coatings for High-Fidelity Signal Transmission in Atmospheric Light Detection...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Optics

Background:

• Atmospheric Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems are vital for environmental monitoring, particularly air quality assessment.
• Contamination on LiDAR protective windows, such as water droplets, significantly degrades signal transmission and monitoring accuracy.
• There is a need for advanced coatings that provide superhydrophobicity, transparency, and durability for LiDAR applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate a novel superhydrophobic coating for LiDAR protective windows.
• To ensure high-fidelity signal transmission by preventing window contamination.
• To achieve excellent transparency, mechanochemical robustness, and weather resistance in the coating.

Main Methods:

• A composite rough structure was created on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) resin-loaded glass using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and carbon soot (CS).
• High-temperature annealing was employed to remove CS, induce structural rearrangement, and form a robust, cross-linked dendritic structure.
• 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (PTES) was used to impart low surface energy and reinforce the structure, resulting in the PDMS-TEOS/F-CS(O) coating.

Main Results:

• The PDMS-TEOS/F-CS(O) coating exhibited excellent superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 165.04° and a sliding angle of 0.47°.
• The coating maintained outstanding light transmittance (92.4%) and demonstrated remarkable durability against abrasion, sand impact, scratching, and chemical exposure.
• The coating successfully preserved its superhydrophobic properties after extensive weatherability tests, including UV exposure and real outdoor conditions.

Conclusions:

• The developed superhydrophobic coating effectively ensures high-fidelity signal transmission for atmospheric LiDAR systems.
• The coating's robust superhydrophobicity and durability make it suitable for protecting LiDAR windows in challenging environmental conditions.
• This research offers valuable insights into fabricating advanced coatings for optical applications requiring sustained performance and clarity.