DUST REPELLENT SILICA AND TITANIA COATINGS
Novel coatings disclosed herein can be used to mitigate dust adhesion. In one embodiment, a method of making a dust repellant coating includes combining a titanium dioxide sol with colloidal silica to form a mixture. The method also includes adding solvent to the mixture, stirring the mixture for about an hour, and filtering the mixture into a solution of titanium dioxide and silica dioxide.
1 . A method of coating a surface to repel dust, the method comprising:
filtering a mixture of a titanium dioxide sol, colloidal silica, and a solvent into a solution comprising between about one and ten percent titanium dioxide and between about ninety and ninety-nine percent silica dioxide;
applying the solution as a coating to the surface; and
adhering the coating to the surface.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
applying the solution to the surface comprises applying the solution via at least one of a chemical vapor deposition, a pulsed laser deposition, a physical vapor deposition, an electrochemical deposition, a spray coating, a roll-to-roll coating, a spin-coating, or a dip-coating.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the coating is operable to repel dust in a vacuum.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the coating is operable to repel dust in air.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the coating is operable for application to a surface in a vacuum.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
adhering the coating to the surface comprises heating the coating on the surface.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the coating is operable to reflect at least one of infrared radiation or ultraviolet radiation.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the coating is operable to prevent surface discoloration.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the coating is operable to prevent friction between the surface and another surface.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the coating is operable to prevent bacteria from adhering to the surface.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the coating is operable to protect the surface from physical abrasion.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the solvent comprises isopropanol.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the mixture includes at least one of a metal additive, an organic additive, a metal salt, or a metal oxide.
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the metal oxide comprises at least one of alpha alumina, gamma alumina, titania, zirconia, copper oxide, zinc oxide, or mixtures thereof.
15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the metal salt comprises at least one of copper, silver, chromium, aluminum, gold, or mixtures thereof.
16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the organic additive comprises at least one of methanol, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, isobutanol, tert-butanol, or mixtures thereof.