A Transparent and Wear-Resistant Anti-Smudge Coating Based on Polydimethylsiloxane

Conventional liquid-like anti-smudge coatings often suffer from poor wear resistance, failing to meet the requirements of daily use in practical applications. In this work, anti-fingerprint coatings were fabricated from monovinyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (^ViPDMS), divinyl-terminated PDMS (^ViPDMS^Vi) and polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS), with octavinyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (VPOSS) incorporated to enhance wear resistance, through hydrosilylation reaction. The one-pot reaction was carried out in two steps to suppress the aggregation of POSS moieties, resulting in a clear coating with 95% transmittance in the visible region even at a high POSS content of 15.4 wt %. The effects of PDMS composition, molecular weight of ^ViPDMS, and VPOSS content on coating properties were investigated, and the optimal formulation was determined. This formulation exhibited excellent resistance to staining by fingerprints, coffee, milk, and dye, and withstood 1000 cycles of abrasion with no discernible surface damage, demonstrating good anti-smudge and wear-resistant properties. In addition, the coating was readily deposited on various substrates, indicating its general applicability. The simplicity of the fabrication method and the good properties of the coating make it a promising material for anti-fingerprint applications.