Highly Transparent and UV-Resistant Superhydrophobic SiO₂‑Coated ZnO Nanorod Arrays

Highly transparent and UV-resistant superhydrophobic arrays of SiO₂-coated ZnO nanorods are prepared in a sequence of low-temperature (<150 °C) steps on both glass and thin sheets of PET (2 × 2 in.²), and the superhydrophobic nanocomposite is shown to have minimal impact on solar cell device performance under AM1.5G illumination. Flexible plastics can serve as front cell and backing materials in the manufacture of flexible displays and solar cells.