Waterproof coating with nanoscopic/microscopic features and methods of making same

A method of forming a self-cleaning coating on a substrate with an all solution process comprising the steps of:

• selecting a substrate;
• treating the substrate with a sol-gel solution to coat the substrate, wherein the sol-gel solution comprises an acid and two or more materials with a formula:
• M(OR)4-xR′x,
• where M=Si, Al, In, Sn or Ti;
• x=0 to 3, and
• R and R′ can be the same or different and comprises hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, a substituted or unsubstituted epoxy, or a substituted or unsubstituted amine;
• and
• coating a surface of the substrate with at least one hydrophobic chemical agent solution, wherein at least one hydrophobic chemical agent used has a formula of alkylsilane [CH3(CH2)a]bSiX4-b (where a=0-20, b=1-3, and X=Cl, Br, I, an organic leaving group, or an alkoxy group),
• the sol-gel solution or the at least one hydrophobic chemical agent solution forms an interpenetration polymer network that provides a microscopic or nanoscopic topology on the surface of the substrate, and the sol-gel solution and the hydrophobic chemical agent solution form a final coating that remains flexible and renders the substrate oleophilic.

A method of forming a self-cleaning coating on a substrate comprising the steps of:

• selecting a substrate, wherein the substrate is a textile;
• treating the substrate with a sol-gel solution to coat the substrate, wherein the sol-gel solution comprises an acid and two or more materials with a formula:
• M(OR)4-xR′x,
• where M=Si, Al, In, Sn or Ti;
• x=0 to 3, and
• R and R′ can be the same or different and comprises hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, a substituted or unsubstituted epoxy, or a substituted or unsubstituted amine;
• curing the substrate after the treating step to form a cured coating;
• and
• coating the surface of the substrate with at least one hydrophobic chemical agent, wherein the at least one hydrophobic chemical agent used has a formula of alkylsilane [CH3(CH2)a]bSiX4-b (where a=0-20, b=1-3, and X=Cl, Br, I, an organic leaving group, or an alkoxy group)
• the coating step is performed in an enclosure providing a controlled environment that surrounds the substrate, wherein the sol-gel or at least one hydrophobic chemical agent forms an interpenetration polymer network that provides a microscopic or nanoscopic topology on the surface of the substrate, and a final sol-gel and hydrophobic coating remain flexible and renders the substrate oleophilic.