Hydrophobic Coatings

Martin Petrina and Trevor Turgeon Mr. SpanglerWhitefish High SchoolAdvanced Chemistry

Introduction

Testing different hydrophobic coatings by measuring contact angles.

Searching to find the best hydrophobic product that’s released to the public.

Tested Oakley, Rain-x, and Ceracoat Ceramic products.

Background Liquipel advanced waterproofing for

phones.

Intriguing properties of the lotus flower.

NeverWet coatings for all materials and waterproofing protectants.

Common everyday advantages regarding hydrophobic materials such as electronics, building materials, and automobiles.

Procedure

1. Set up contact angle apparatus.2. Treat slide with one coating of solution. 3. Put slide on apparatus.4. Use dropper to put one drop of water on slide.5. Measure contact angle.6. Add layers and measure

contact angle until there is a total of five layers.

7. Repeat process with same solution on another slide.

8. Repeat with all other solutions recording data.

Tested Materials

Rain-X Antifog Rain-X Original Oakley Lens Cleaner Ceracoat Ceramic

Ceracoat Ceramic Nanotechnology

A hydrophobic spray available for many different types of materials.

Ceracoat harvests the use of nanotechnology to repel water, dirt, and other liquids from a verity of materials

Oakley NanoClear Lens Cleaner

Oakley’s unique hydrophobic coating makes lenses immune to moisture buildup, and that’s just the start, anti-smudge technology repels oils and contaminants that can corrupt your vision in the hear of competition

Prevents moisture buildup Fights smudges and repels

contaminants Makes it easy to keep lenses

clean

Rain X Original Rain X is a glass treatment method that helps

dramatically improve visibility in any conditions involving precipitation such as rain, snow or sleet. Rain X works by repelling these liquid obstacles before they have had a chance to bond to the glass and limit vision.

Rain X is made up of special polymers. This emulsion formula of polymers reacts with the pores in glass, creating a surface that can no longer accept precipitation. Because of this, water droplets do not stick to the surface, but instead, gather together in droplets, and roll off the windshield or other glass surfaces.

Rain X Anti-Fog Anti-fog agents, also known as anti-fogging

agents and treatments, prevent the condensation of water on a surface in the form of small droplets which resemble fog.

Anti-fog treatments work by minimizing surface tension, resulting in a non-scattering film of water instead of single droplets, an effect called wetting.

Anti-fog treatments usually work either by application of a surfactant film or by creating a hydrophilic surface. 

Rain X uses ionized and acidified alcohol and silicone-based compounds to prevent beading and reduce surface tension.

Pictures

Data (room temperature)

Rain-X

Origina

l 1

Rain-X

Origina

l 2

Oakley

1

Oakley

2

Ceracoa

t 1

Ceracoa

t 2

Rain-X

Anti-F

og 1

Rain-X

Anti-F

og 2

0

20

40

60

4658

6

2543

31

0 0

5259

3632 39 45

0 0

5561

3639 39 45

0 0

48

59

38 41 4749

0 0

4865

41 4546

56

0 0

Hydrophobic Coatings at Room Temper-ature

1 Layer2 Layers3 Layers4 Layers5 Layers

Cont

act A

ngle

Data (cold)

Rain-X

Origina

l 1

Rain-X

Origina

l 2

Oakley

1

Oakley

2

Ceracoa

t 1

Ceracoa

t20

20406080

100

25

69

35 34 36 3748

70

43 47 42 4867

85

6076

38

7669 84 60 6842

6856

8671 69

44 39

Hydrophobic Coatings at 12°C

Layer 1Layer 2Layer 3Layer 4Layer 5

Cont

act A

ngle

Conclusion

The maximum contact angle was 86 degrees by Rain-X Original. It reduced contact between the slide and the water the best making it the most hydrophobic product we tested.

Rain-X Anti-Fog reduced the angle and made it immeasurable (essentially completely flat on the slide)

Improvements

Test more products.

Test angle at which water starts to slide.

Test at a larger variety of temperatures and conditions.

Test effects on different materials.

References "Get to Know Pharrell Williams." Liquipelcom. N.p., n.d.

Web. 09 May 2013.

"Superhydrophobic Coatings | Corrosion Control & Waterproof Coatings | NeverWet."Superhydrophobic Coatings | Corrosion Control & Waterproof Coatings | NeverWet. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2013.

"Oakley Men’s Store." Oakley. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2013.

" Coat More…Clean Less!" Cera Coat Ceramic USA RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2013.

"Rain-X." RainX. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2013.