Durable and transparent intrinsically anti-triboelectric coatings.

Abstract

Electrostatic charge accumulation via contact electrification poses significant challenges in natural and engineered systems, such as displays. Existing anti-static coatings, while promising, are limited by trade-offs between optical transparency, mechanical robustness, and anti-static behavior. Here we report a molecularly tailored strategy to fabricate highly durable, transparent anti-triboelectric material by chemically crosslinking two heterogeneous components: aminopropyl oligomeric silsesquioxane (electron-donating) and trifluoropropyl-rich (electron-withdrawing) counterpart containing minor epoxy groups. By precise molecular engineering, we construct a highly crosslinked organic-inorganic hybrid network with tunable surface potential, enabling suppression of contact electrification. When applied to diverse substrates, this coating inhibits charge generation and withstands over 16,000 steel wool abrasion cycles (~25 kPa) without visible scratches while retaining anti-triboelectric properties. It also exhibits high transparency (>91%), anti-smudge performance, and foldability (down to 1 mm bending radius of curvature). This work contributes to overcoming the trade-off between optical clarity, wear resistance, and static suppression, establishing a versatile coating platform for diverse applications.