Scale-up of a reaction chamber for superhydrophobic coatings based on silicone nanofilaments

Abstract

The facile and cheap large-scale production of superhydrophobic surfaces is one of the major challenges to exploit the commercial potential of strongly water-repellent materials. Here, we present the scale-up of a gas-phase reaction process for coating different materials with silicone nanofilaments and rendering them thereby superhydrophobic. As compared to the lab-scale equipment, the chamber volume of the pilot plant is larger by a factor of 1300, and the maximum sample dimension is 2 m. Design and technical issues of the pilot plant are presented. The achieved contact angles above 150° and sliding angles below 20° compare well to those achieved on the lab scale. Coated samples with dimensions on the order of meters such as fabric or window glass are presented.