Transparent, robust, and anti-fingerprint silicone coating with a three-dimensional cross-linked network enabled by hydrosilylation reaction

Silicone coatings with anti-smudge, anti-fingerprint, abrasion resistance, and ultraviolet (UV) resistance properties are increasingly demanded for touch screens as the development of artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction interfaces. Herein, a transparent, robust, and self-cleaning silicone coating was developed by incorporating cage-like structures and long carbon chains into a 3D cross-linked network via the rational combination of polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS), PSS-Octavinyl substituted (VPOSS), lauryl acrylate (LA), and 1,2-epoxy-4-vinylcyclohexane (EVCH) through hydrosilylation reaction with the presence of Karstedt catalysts. After introducing sealed diphenyliodonium phosphate (I-200), the silicone coating (PVLE-I-200) demonstrated excellent pencil hardness, anti-smudge, and abrasion resistance, and its average transmittance of visible light reached about 92 %. Owing to the low surface energy carbon chains, the coating showed amphiphobic properties and excellent anti-fingerprint property. The binding between cyclohexyl epoxy and glass substrate contributed to the high adhesion of the coating, which remained nearly intact and slightly reduced surface wettability after 500 friction cycles of sandpaper. In addition, the PVLE-I-200 coating demonstrated UV resistance which could withstand 200 h of UV irradiation attributed to the cage-like structure of VPOSS. The functional silicone coating provides insights into the development of environmentally friendly coatings for touch screens with high transparency, abrasion resistance, anti-smudge, and anti-fingerprint properties.