Effect of polydimethylsiloxane) PDMS (on silica coating produced by sol-gel method

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

najme lari ¹

SHAHROKH AHANGARARNI ²

¹ Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Sirjan University of Technology, sirjan, iran.

² Advanced Materials and Renewable Energies Department, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology

10.22067/jmme.2025.92000.1184

Abstract

To reduce light reflection and enhance the efficiency of solar cells, silica coatings are commonly applied to glass surfaces. However, the inherent brittleness of these coatings can limit their mechanical performance. In this study, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a flexible polymer with hydrophobic properties, was investigated to improve both mechanical and surface characteristics of the coatings. Two approaches were evaluated: incorporating PDMS during the cell fabrication process, and directly depositing it onto the silica coating. The performance of the samples was assessed using UV-Visible transmission spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and contact angle measurement using deionized water droplets. The results showed that both types of coatings exhibited approximately 93% light transmittance, which is a significant improvement compared to uncoated glass (90%). Additionally, the contact angle of water droplets on the coated surface was measured at 95°, indicating excellent hydrophobicity. This property is attributed to the presence of PDMS, suggesting that moisture absorption over time will be minimized and the optical performance of the coating will remain stable.

Keywords: Anti-reflective coating, hydrophobicity, silica, polydimethylsiloxane, sol-gel.

Keywords

Anti-reflective coating

hydrophobicity

silica

polydimethylsiloxane

sol-gel

Subjects

• Surface and Interface Metallurgy (Coating)

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