Performance regulation of anti-glare WPUA/SiO2 hybrid coatings: Mechanism of action and selection strategy of silane coupling agents

StepWise in-situ hybridization constructs WPUA/SiO 2 interpenetrating network with >90% transmittance. • DFT/RDG/IRI first reveals preferential reaction pathway between KH-550 and TEOS at electronic level. • Systematic comparison of amino, epoxy, and mercapto silanes establishes structure–property mapping. • A systematic comparison of amino, epoxy, and mercapto silanes reveals their coating performance and application advantages. • Under the condition of KH-550: TEOS = 1 : 2, the coating exhibits optimal comprehensive performance. To meet the integrated requirements of automotive displays for zero VOC, anti-glare properties, wide viewing angles, and high abrasion resistance, while overcoming the limitations of mechanical strength and haze in traditional WPUA coatings, this study employs a stepwise in-situ hybridization strategy. Given the significant variations in performance demands across diverse application fields such as architecture, energy, transportation, and healthcare, the research further explores precise methods for performance regulation. By constructing an interpenetrating network using KH-550 and TEOS, a WPUA/SiO 2 hybrid coating was developed. Combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations and reduced density gradient (RDG)/interaction region indicator (IRI) analysis, the synergistic mechanism and reaction pathway between KH-550 and TEOS were elucidated at the electronic level. Experimental results demonstrate that at a KH-550: TEOS molar ratio of 1 : 2, the coating exhibits optimal overall performance, including grade 0 adhesion, 84 HD hardness, 7.3 mg wear loss, and over 90% transmittance. Additionally, with the molar ratio of KH-550 to TEOS fixed at 1 : 2, a systematic comparison of different silane coupling agents revealed distinct advantages: the KH-550 system delivers outstanding adhesion (grade 0) and high transmittance (>90%), with a gloss level of 105 GU; the KH-560 system excels in hardness (86 HD) and resistance (6.9 mg mass loss) with a gloss of 86 GU; and the KH-590 system offers a balanced performance in transmittance (>90%) and water resistance (water absorption 1.2%, water contact angle 98.4°), together with a gloss of 98 GU. This study provides a theoretical foundation and material design guidelines for developing functional coatings tailored to various application scenarios. Download: Download high-res image (374KB) Download: Download full-size image