n-OCTADECYLDIMETHYLCHLOROSILANE, 70% in toluene

Aliphatic, fluorinated aliphatic or substituted aromatic hydrocarbon substituents are the hydrophobic entities which enable silanes to induce surface hydrophobicity. The organic substitution of the silane must be non-polar. The hydrophobic effect of the organic substitution can be related to the free energy of transfer of hydrocarbon molecules from an aqueous phase to a homogeneous hydrocarbon phase. A successful hydrophobic coating must eliminate or mitigate hydrogen bonding and shield polar surfaces from interaction with water by creating a non-polar interphase. Although silane and silicone derived coatings are in general the most hydrophobic, they maintain a high degree of permeability to water vapor. This allows coatings to breathe and reduce deterioration at the coating interface associated with entrapped water. Since ions are not transported through non-polar silane and silicone coatings, they offer protection to composite structures ranging from pigmented coatings to rebar reinforced concrete. A selection guide for hydrophobic silanes can be found on pages 22-31 of the Hydrophobicity, Hydrophilicity and Silane Surface Modification brochure.