Role of the surface chemistry of plasma polymer layers on their long‐term antifogging behavior

Abstract

AbstractThe long‐term antifogging capability of plasma coatings obtained from a hydrophilic precursor, such as 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate or acrylic acid, and a hydrophobic monomer, 1H,1H,2H‐perfluoro‐1‐decene (HDFD), deposited on polycarbonate is studied for two different agings. These films, when freshly prepared, show simultaneous hydrophilicity/oleophobicity for HDFD concentrations <50%. They fulfill antifogging criteria: low water contact angle (<20°), high hexadecane contact angle around 70° and preservation of optical transparency after water vapor contact. Depending on their chemical structure, only p‐AA‐co‐HDFD with 20–40% of HDFD retain their antifogging properties after thermal aging, while all of them are altered when dipped in hot water. p‐AA‐co‐HDFD is more efficient than p‐DAME‐co‐HDFD in reducing airborne contamination and improving long‐term antifogging performance.