Development of water-repellent glass improved water-sliding property and durability

A water-repellent glass with high water-sliding property using FAS for the hydrophobic material has been developed. It had been thought that the sliding property of FAS was inferior to PDMS. But it was found that the sliding angles of the surfaces coated with FAS were affected by coating condition. And the glass on which fluorinated alkyl groups oriented toward normal direction of the surface had almost equal water-sliding property to the one coated with PDMS. Furthermore its durability against wiper abrasion and outside weathering was much higher than that with PDMS. And XPS analysis was carried out to confirm the orientation of fluorinated alkyl groups on the developed water-repellent glass. This kind of water-repellent glass was adopted as commercial automotive windows.