Mass-produced anti-fogging films with excellent performances formed from amphiphilic random copolymers via roll-to-roll coating

Fog significantly reduces the visibility of the front windshield of automobile during driving, which can be mitigated by anti-fogging films. Here, an innovative strategy is reported to massively fabricate anti-fogging films via roll-to-roll coating based on anti-fogging coatings, which possess the sustainable anti-fogging performance, the outstanding wear resistance and adhesion strength. Firstly, anti-fogging coatings are developed from the amphiphilic random copolymers containing light-curable and heat-curable groups. After investigating the influences of copolymer hydrophilicity and curing conditions, anti-fogging films exhibiting the optimal anti-fogging performances are successfully prepared, which can maintain clarity and transparency as the time of water (80 °C) steaming is up to 9 h, and withstand 9 cycles of anti-fogging durability testing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and water contact angle were employed to reveal the failure mechanism of anti-fogging durability for anti-fogging films. Additionally, the hardness, adhesion strength and elongation at break of anti-fogging films correspondingly reach up to 0.233 ± 0.0010 GPa, 0.674 ± 0.0218 MPa and 13.4 ± 1.005 %, which are at the forefront of anti-fogging coatings. Finally, the mass-produced anti-fogging films via roll-to-roll coating can effectively prevent fog to ensure the good visibility of the front windshield while driving, which will facilitate the development of basic research and industrialization of anti-fogging coatings.