Effects of temperature and humidity on adhesion of water scale to glass substrates

Abstract The formation of silica scales from water on ceramics is a significant problem, and there is an urgent need to develop methods to prevent its formation or to remove it. In this study, we fabricated silica scales on glass substrates and investigated the effects of temperature and humidity during the drying process on the adhesion of the scales to the substrates. The scales were created from artificial water via a previously reported method, while focusing on the variations in the contact angle of water droplets on the substrates with changes in drying conditions. It was observed that the primary factors affecting the drying process are temperature and humidity. In addition, the drying rate of the droplets was in good agreement with the theoretically predicted value. Further, the scales were subjected to quantitative rubbing tests, and the scale removal rate was observed to be higher under humid conditions. The results obtained herein should aid efforts to develop methods for the easy removal of silica scales from substrates.