IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-64055-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Long-lasting and stable anti-fog coating combined with active and passive strategy

Author

Listed:
  • Cijian Zhang

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Beitao Liu

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Shengyuan Yu

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Jiahui Li

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Qian Liu

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Shouhai Zhang

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Xigao Jian

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Zhihuan Weng

    (Dalian University of Technology)

Abstract

There is an urgent need to design long-term effective anti-fog coatings to ensure the stabilization of uniform water films on hydrophilic surfaces, considering the impacts of interfacial strength, cyclic drying, and contaminants. Here, we propose an anti-fog strategy that leverages manipulating free volume and hydrogen bonding of hydrophilic networks through the twisted non-coplanar structures, synergized with photothermal effects, to enhance anti-fog efficiency. The introduction twisted non-coplanar structures of 1(2H)-phthalazinone not only significantly enhances the coating’s interfacial stability but also increases the molecular free volume, thereby substantially improving its moisture absorption capacity and extending the anti-fogging duration. The developed coating simultaneously achieves high transparency and efficient solar light absorption in the UV/NIR regions, effectively enhancing photothermal fog prevention and removal. The insights into anti-fog strategy promise to translate the structural free-volume benefits measured in laboratories into real-world applications for long-lasting and stable anti-fog coatings.

Suggested Citation

  • Cijian Zhang & Beitao Liu & Shengyuan Yu & Jiahui Li & Qian Liu & Shouhai Zhang & Xigao Jian & Zhihuan Weng, 2025. "Long-lasting and stable anti-fog coating combined with active and passive strategy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-64055-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64055-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-64055-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-64055-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mingyuan Mao & Jinfei Wei & Bucheng Li & Lingxiao Li & Xiaopeng Huang & Junping Zhang, 2024. "Scalable robust photothermal superhydrophobic coatings for efficient anti-icing and de-icing in simulated/real environments," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Chen Ma & Li Chen & Lin Wang & Wei Tong & Chenlei Chu & Zhiping Yuan & Cunjing Lv & Quanshui Zheng, 2022. "Condensation droplet sieve," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Guoying Bai & Haiyan Zhang & Dong Gao & Houguo Fei & Cunlan Guo & Mingxia Ren & Yufeng Liu, 2024. "Controlled condensation by liquid contact-induced adaptations of molecular conformations in self-assembled monolayers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Wang, Jiwei & Zhao, Jingde & Xu, Xiangtian & Zhang, Mingyi & Liu, Yuhang & Bai, Ruiqiang & Wang, Yongtao & Kong, Xiangbing, 2025. "Study on the solar-thermal effect mechanism and energy balance relationship of heat-reflective pavement model in cold region," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 324(C).
    3. Shengteng Zhao & Zhichao Ma & Mingkai Song & Libo Tan & Hongwei Zhao & Luquan Ren, 2023. "Golden section criterion to achieve droplet trampoline effect on metal-based superhydrophobic surface," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-64055-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.