Coating of Methyltriethoxysilane—Modified Colloidal Silica on Polymer Substrates for Abrasion Resistance

Organic-inorganic hybrid composites were prepared by the sol-gel method for the hard coating agent of transparent plastic, and their abrasion resistance, optical and surface characteristics were evaluated. Methyltriethoxy-silane (MTES) and colloidal silica were used as starting materials. The addition of MTES to colloidal silica enabled the formation of dense thin films with very smooth surface on the substrates. The thin films were strongly adhered to the substrates without primer treatment. The abrasion resistance increased with the increase in the ratio of MTES to the colloidal silica. Optimal amount of MTES for the hard coating agent was 100 wt% to the colloidal silica. The addition of curing catalyst, tetramethylammonium formate was found to be very effective to enhance the adhesion strength of coating agent to the substrates and reduced curing time.