Non-Condensing Anti-Fog Hydrophobic Optical Coating

Fogging of optical components results in substantial reduction in image quality and light transmission, hindering the function of crucial military devices such as specialty eyewear, optical scopes and optical filters. Current solutions to creating an anti-fog surface often entail temporary solutions such as wiping the surface with surfactants or warming up the surface in a coat pocket before use. TIAX proposes to develop non-condensing superhydrophobic coatings which exhibit anti-fog properties without impacting the optical properties of the device. The proposed coatings will be durable and salt tolerant, and they can be produced using low-cost, scalable methods. These superhydrophobic anti-fog coatings will be a significant improvement over alternative hydrophilic coatings as they will not require constant exposure to circulating dry air in order to remove the water from a surface.