Preparation and removability of PVA/SiO2 composite antireflective coating

PVA/SiO2 composite antirefiective coatings which can be easily removed from glass substrate by hot water were prepared. PVA coatings were first deposited onto K9 glass substrate, followed by SiO2 as the second layer. UV-Vis spectrophotometer, ellipsometer optical microscope, scanning probe microscope, and contact angle measuring system were used to characterize the properties of the composite coatings and substrates. The results show that the peak transmittance of PVA/SiO2 composite coatings is 99.8%, and its position could be adjusted with the thickness change of SiO2 layer. After removal of the composite coatings in hotwater, the substrates are not damaged, and the basic properties, such as transmittance, surface morphology and water contact angle, remain the same as those of the substrates before coating. (authors)