Optical functionality of micro- and nanostructured silica surfaces prepared by a sol-gel phase separation method

Publication date: Available online 14 December 2016
Source:Thin Solid Films
Author(s): Triin Kangur, Valter Kiisk, Ardi Loot, Martin Timusk, Martin Järvekülg
We report a wet chemical method for spray-coating of large areas with microscopic transparent hemispherical silica structures using sol-gel phase separation in tetraethyl orthosilicate sols. Suitable adjustment of preparation conditions (amount of sprayed solution, its concentration, water content, amount of catalyst) led to the formation of sufficiently small, high aspect ratio and densely packed structures, which impose notable antireflective, light scattering and hydrophobic surface properties.