Controlling surface energy of glass substrates to prepare superhydrophobic and transparent films from silica nanoparticle suspensions.

We fabricated superhydrophobic and transparent silica nanoparticle (SNP) films on glass plates via spray-coating technique. When suspensions containing 1-propanol and hydrophobic SNPs were sprayed over glass plates that were modified with dodecyl groups, superhydrophobic and transparent SNP films were formed on the substrates. Surface energy of the glass plates had a significant role to obtain superhydrophobic and transparent SNP films. SNP films did not show superhydrophobicity when bare glass plates were used as substrates, because water droplets tend to adhere the exposed part of the hydrophilic glass plate. Glass plates having extreme low surface energy were not also suitable because suspension solution was repelled from the substrates, which resulted in forming non-uniform SNP films.