Scalable super-hydrophilic nanocomposite latex with self-cleaning action

Abstract Super-hydrophilic polyacrylate nanocomposite latex was prepared by emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl acrylate (BA) with modified nano-silica and hydrogenated tallow montmorillonite (MMT) clay. Modification of nanoparticles were carried out using vinyl trimethoxysilane (VTMS) coupling agent. The nanoparticle loading was maintained constant at 0.5% of total formulation while changing the ratio of nano-silica to nano-clay. The modification of the nanoparticles were investigated using particle size and SEM analysis. The coating properties were studied on three different substrates, asbestos, glass and mild steel. The water repellent characteristics of the film and mechanical performance of the coatings were established and compared to the coating with zero nanoparticles taken as reference standard.