ABSTRACT
This study employed Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and Methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) in alcohol-water media catalyzed by HNO3 to synthesize silica sol-gel, wherein different alcohols (methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, and n-butanol) were conducted. The alcohol types have been demonstrated to exert much impact on the property of prepared silica sol-gel. The particle size of silica sol-gel decreases in order of methanol > ethanol > propanol > isopropanol > n-butanol. The silica sol-gel samples prepared by different solvents were deposited on 3.0 mm soda-lime glass substrates to generate anti-glare silica sol-gel thin films using an auto-spray system. The properties of gloss, haze, transmittance, and surface roughness of the antiglare silica sol-gel films were examined. The results indicate that the average haze of silica sol-gel film/glass substrate descends in the following order of methanol > ethanol > isopropanol > propanol > n-butanol, while the average gloss is isopropanol > propanol > n-butanol > ethanol > methanol. The relative magnitude of average transmittance is methanol > propanol ~ ethanol > n-butanol > isopropanol, but their deviation is very insignificant. In summary, the solvent of methanol shows the highest average transmittance of 92.35%, maximum average haze value of 9.76%, and the lowest average gloss value of 74.3 GU. In contrast, the solvent of isopropanol exhibits the minimum arithmetical mean deviation (Ra) of surface roughness (0.064 um). This study explores the fundamental roles of alcohol solvents which can be used as the basis for subsequent variable optimization of automated spray systems in the future.
