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Coatings
Special Issues
Applications of Self-Cleaning Photocatalytic Coatings
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Applications of Self-Cleaning Photocatalytic Coatings

A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Surface Engineering for Energy Harvesting, Conversion, and Storage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 April 2026 | Viewed by 917

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Hongtao Cui

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
Interests: self-cleaning; photocatalysis; catalysis; antifog; solar cells; fog collection; surface structuring/coatings

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chemical coating and surface structuring are among the primary strategies employed to achieve self-cleaning functionality. In particular, photocatalytic coatings exhibit potential in a wide range of self-cleaning applications, including photovoltaics, automobiles, architectural glass, and buildings.

This Special Issue focuses on surface coatings and films that incorporate photocatalytic properties and/or surface structuring to enhance their self-cleaning performance. We welcome the submission of original research and reviews on the following topics:

  • Photocatalytic coatings and films for self-cleaning applications;
  • Surface coatings and structuring techniques for self-cleaning surfaces;
  • Development and innovation in photocatalytic coating technologies;
  • Advances in self-cleaning surface and coating materials;
  • Antifogging materials and mechanisms.

Prof. Dr. Hongtao Cui
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Coatings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • photocatalytic
  • catalytic
  • self-cleaning
  • antifog
  • surface structuring

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

22 pages, 10080 KB  
Article
Laser Fabricated MgO-TiO2 Based Photocatalytic Antifogging and Self-Cleaning Surface in Air
by Zhenze Zhai, Feiyue Zhang, Yongjian Gao, Longze Chen, Jia Liu, Yu Wang, Chaoran Sun and Hongtao Cui
Coatings 2025, 15(10), 1214; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15101214 - 15 Oct 2025
Viewed by 705
Abstract
A cost-effective laser marker was employed to fabricate a superhydrophilic, photocatalytic Mg-Ti-based surface on glass under ambient conditions. The photocatalytic layer was first deposited via laser processing, followed by partial laser etching to generate micro/nanostructures on the surface. This method preserves partial photocatalytic [...] Read more.
A cost-effective laser marker was employed to fabricate a superhydrophilic, photocatalytic Mg-Ti-based surface on glass under ambient conditions. The photocatalytic layer was first deposited via laser processing, followed by partial laser etching to generate micro/nanostructures on the surface. This method preserves partial photocatalytic functionality while enhancing surface roughness and introducing unique nanostructures, enabling the sample to simultaneously exhibit antifogging, self-cleaning capabilities, and high light transmittance. The optimal sample was achieved by tuning laser processing parameters, including repetition rate and scanning hatch distance. It maintained a water contact angle (WCA) of 0° after 15 days of outdoor exposure, which only increased to 21.2° after 30 days. In comparison, the WCA of reference glass increased from an initial 23.3° to 63.9° over the same period. Furthermore, the amount of dust accumulated on the optimal sample was significantly lower—by up to 43%—than that on the reference glass over one month under both indoor and outdoor conditions. After a single spray cleaning, the dust removal efficiency of the indoor-stored optimal sample reached 70%, which was 56% higher than that of the reference. For samples stored outdoors, a single spray removed 67% of the dust from the optimal surface, compared to only 26% for the reference, highlighting its excellent self-cleaning performance. Additionally, the optimal also showcased remarkable antifogging property, which had been maintained over the one-month exposure period without visible degradation. Moreover, the optimal sample exhibited a 2% enhancement in broadband light transmittance across the 400–1000 nm wavelength range, demonstrating strong potential for photovoltaic applications. The simultaneous achievement of antireflection, antifogging, and self-cleaning performance under both indoor and outdoor conditions over a one-month period has rarely been reported in the literature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Self-Cleaning Photocatalytic Coatings)
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