Polysiloxane Coatings Based on Organic–Inorganic Interpenetrating Networks with High Transparency, Efficient Anti-Icing Properties, and Flame Retardancy

Polysiloxane materials have significant potential for diverse applications in functional coatings, owing to their distinctive Si–O–Si backbone structure and exceptional physical and chemical properties. Interest in functional polymer-inorganic nanocomposites has grown due to their versatility, malleability, low polymer matrix density, and heat resistance and stiffness of inorganic constituents. Nonetheless, developing multifunctional composites with high transparency, frost resistance, and flame retardancy poses a notable challenge. In this study, an amino-modified silica (NH2–SiO2) nanoparticle-doped polysiloxane composite coating (PSC-NSy) was devised and fabricated using the sol–gel technique. By incorporating polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), hydrogen bonding with the polysiloxane polymer network was achieved, forming an organic–inorganic interpenetrating network structure. This approach enhanced interface interactions, facilitated the uniform dispersion of inorganic nano SiO2, and conferred outstanding transparency (over 88%) and flexibility to the polysiloxane composite coating. The coating surface remained crack-free after 100 cycles of bending stress. Furthermore, it exhibits excellent hydrophobicity, low surface energy, and low ice adhesion strength (22.42 kPa), enabling it to be highly effective against ice and frost. The composite material also possesses high thermal stability, and the limiting oxygen index (LOI) of the PSC-NS10 coating can reach 28.27%, making it a promising candidate for flame-retardant materials. The straightforward manufacturing process of the polysiloxane composite coating proposed in this research endows it with substantial industrial application potential in a multitude of fields.