<![CDATA[Thin fluorinated silica-based sol–gel films incorporating graphene oxide (GO) (0 – 1.0 wt.%) were synthesized to investigate their surface wettability and optical properties. The films were prepared via a sol–gel route and characterized using contact angle measurements, UV–Vis spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Although GO is intrinsically hydrophilic, the water contacts angle (WCA) increased from 109◦ to 125◦, with the highest WCA at 1.0 wt.% GO. This enhancement is attributed to the formation of hierarchical surface roughness, as confirmed by AFM, which dominates over the intrinsic hydrophilicity of GO in accordance with Wenzel/Cassie–Baxter wetting behavior. UV–Vis analysis showed that the films retained high optical transparency, with transmittance of above 90% at 400 – 800 nm, although a slight decrease was observed with increasing GO loading due to light scattering effects. These findings demonstrate that controlled incorporation of GO can enhance surface functionality without significantly compromising transparency, highlighting the potential of fluorinated sol–gel coatings for advanced protective and self-cleaning applications]]>
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