Solvent-free polyurethane coatings based on an in-situ curing strategy at room temperature with self-cleaning, anti-corrosion and anti-graffiti properties

Abstract

Anti-smudge coatings have attracted extensive attention in recent years owing to their hydrophobic, self-cleaning, anti-graffiti properties and so on. However, most of the anti-smudge coatings are solvent-based and cured at high temperature or using special curing equipment, which negatively impacts the environment and limits their large-scale application in daily life. Herein, we report a solvent-free anti-smudge coating with potential for large-scale and green manufacturing. In detail, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was used as the hydrophobic component, (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) were used as the cross-linking agent, and a solvent-free polyurethane (SFPU) anti-smudge coating was in-situ constructed at room temperature for 24 h without any curing equipment. Due to the enrichment of PDMS chains on the surface and the dense cross-linked network of the coating, the as-prepared coating not only exhibited a high contact angle for water (99.3 ± 1.5°) and diiodomethane (69.5 ± 0.9°), but also excellent anti-smudge to contaminants, with both water and oily liquids were easy to slide off the surface of the coating without leaving any traces. Even after writing with an oil-based marker, the ink on the coated surface could be easily wiped off. Further study reveals that the coating surface maintained its original liquid repellency and stain resistance even after 10 d immersion in a 10 wt% NaCl solution, showing durable anti-corrosion properties. In addition, pigments did not affect the anti-graffiti performance of the coating, providing a multi-color scheme for practical application. This convenient, low-energy, environmentally friendly anti-smudge coating has great potential for widespread application in industry and daily life.