Antifogging Hybrid Materials Based on Amino-Functionalized Polysilsesquioxanes

The hybrid antifogging materials poly(3-aminopropyl)silsesquioxane (PAPS) and poly(3-(2-aminoethylaminopropyl)silsesquioxane) (PAEAPS) were prepared by sol-gel reactions that are autocatalyzed by the amine moieties of the monomers. PAPS and PAEAPS show good film-forming abilities, and the films obtained were found to be uniform and pinhole-free. X-ray diffraction analysis of PAPS and PAEAPS films indicated the formation of ladder-like structures. The PAPS and PAEAPS films exhibit high water uptakes of 34 and 42%, which are 1.2 and 1.5 times that of the typical antifogging polymer poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), respectively. Furthermore, the PAEAPS film exhibits a scratch resistance 4-6 times that of PVA, and a glass substrate bearing a PAEAPS film remained transparent after removal from a refrigerator. Thus, PAEAPS films exhibit high transparency under humidified conditions and show good antifogging ability.