This research work concerns the preparation of a bi-layer antifogging (AF) coating on a polycarbonate plastic substrate. The bottom layer, serving as a mechanical support, is an organic-inorganic composite that is formed by embedding colloidal silica in a crosslinked network of γ glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysiline. Atop this layer, a
coating formulation incorporating glycidylmethacrylate and poly(ethylene oxide)-based hydrophilic specieswas applied and thenUV-cured to yield a filmexhibiting theAF effect. Solid-state 29Si-NMRand FTIRwere employed to investigate the evolution of chemical bonds during the sol-gel and the UV-curing processes. Contact angles of water on the coatings were measured to examine the hydrophilicity of the coatings. Furthermore, industrial tests such as pencil hardness, tape adhesion, and steam tests were carried out to evaluate the performance of the coatings.
