Fluid Level Sensing Tank Materials

1 . A fluid tank including a plastic housing with an interior surface coating, the interior surface coating comprising:

nanoparticles for providing surface texture and roughness to an interior surface of the housing; and

hydrophobic material for coating or encapsulating the nanoparticles,

wherein the interior surface coating has a highly hydrophobic to super hydrophobic surface with water contact angle of greater than about 120° and surface energy of less than about 20 mJ/m 2 .

2 . The fluid tank of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles include metal oxides.

3 . The fluid tank of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have particle sizes ranging from about 5 to about 100 nanometers.

4 . The fluid tank of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic material includes organic silanes.

5 . The fluid tank of claim 4 , wherein the organic silanes comprise perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane, perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane, nonofluorohexyltrichlorosilane, pentafluorophenyltrichlorosilane, n-Octyltrichlorosilane, pentafluorodecyltrichlorosilane, or combinations thereof.

6 . A method for preparing a surface coating of a fluid tank comprising:

providing a housing of the fluid tank;

depositing nanoparticles on surface of the housing, the nanoparticles being formed through a gas phase reaction before being deposited on the surface of the housing; and

encapsulating the nanoparticles with a hydrophobic material through chemical vapor deposition,

wherein the surface coating has a highly hydrophobic to super hydrophobic surface with water contact angle of greater than about 120° and surface energy of less than about 20 mJ/m 2 .

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the nanoparticles include metal oxides.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the nanoparticles have particle sizes ranging from about 5 nm to about 100 nm.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the hydrophobic material includes organic silanes.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the organic silanes comprise perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane, perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane, nonofluorohexyltrichlorosilane, pentafluorophenyltrichlorosilane, n-Octyltrichlorosilane, pentafluorodecyltrichlorosilane, or combinations thereof.

11 . A method for preparing a surface coating of a fluid tank, comprising:

providing a housing of the fluid tank;

combining nanoparticles into a hydrophobic solution to obtain a slurry;

depositing the slurry onto a surface of the housing; and

baking to oligomerize the slurry and encapsulate the nanoparticles,

wherein the interior coating has a highly hydrophobic to super hydrophobic surface with water contact angle of greater than about 120° and surface energy of less than about 20 mJ/m 2 .

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the nanoparticles in the slurry has a concentration of about 5% to about 50% by weight.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the nanoparticles have particle sizes ranging from about 5 nm to about 100 nm.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise metal oxides.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the hydrophobic solution comprises hydrophobic material at a concentration of about 1% to about 25% by weight in water and organic solvents.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the hydrophobic material includes organic silanes.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the organic silanes comprise perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane, perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane, nonofluorohexyltrichlorosilane, pentafluorophenyltrichlorosilane, n-Octyltrichlorosilane, pentafluorodecyltrichlorosilane, or combinations thereof.