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Here, we report a molecular-level hybrid strategy based on a highly condensed polysilsesquioxane (PSQ) framework with short-range ordering consistent with ladder-like structural motifs, synthesized from methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) and a bulky epoxy-functional comonomer, 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltrimethoxysilane (ECTMS). A stepwise sol\u2013gel process, consisting of ECTMS pre-hydrolysis followed by controlled dropwise MTMS addition, suppresses MTMS-dominant self-condensation and premature gelation, enabling homogeneous co-condensation and soluble PSQ precursors suitable for thick-film processing. Time-resolved FT-IR and DOSY NMR track alkoxy consumption and the cooperative evolution of MTMS- and ECTMS-derived species, while GPC reveals oligomer formation, subsequent chain growth, and possible late-stage siloxane bond redistribution\/equilibration; XRD and 29Si NMR support a highly condensed framework with ordering consistent with ladder-like structural motifs. The resulting ME-PSQ forms smooth, particle-free coatings on ultrathin glass at 30\u201335 \u03bcm thickness. After UV curing, the coatings exhibit approximately 92% visible transmittance with low yellowness, pencil hardness up to 8H, and initial water contact angles of approximately 100\u00b0. Hydrophobicity is retained after 48 h exposure to polar organic solvents and through at least 24 h exposure to 1 M acid\/base media, while post-immersion thickness, AFM, ATR-FT-IR, and UV\u2013Vis measurements after 48 h indicate limited surface erosion without catastrophic degradation of the underlying siloxane network. The coating withstands 200,000 folding cycles at 1.5R without visible cracking or delamination and increased the observed pen-drop fracture-threshold height from approximately 15 cm for bare UTG to approximately 35 cm for coated UTG under the specified comparative test conditions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1021\/acsami.6c14855","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T12:01:34Z","timestamp":1790078494000},"page":"54032-54048","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Impact-Resistant yet Fold-Durable, Transparent PFAS-Free Hard Coatings on Ultrathin Glass with UV-Crosslinked Ladder Polysilsesquioxane"],"prefix":"10.1021","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Sojin","family":"Kim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"KITECH , , 143, Hanggaulro, Sangnok-gu , ,","place":["Ansan, Republic of Korea, 15588"]},{"name":"Hanyang University , , ,","place":["Ansan, Republic of Korea, 15588"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ji Yoon","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"KITECH , , 143, Hanggaulro, Sangnok-gu , ,","place":["Ansan, Republic of Korea, 15588"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1143-5803","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Yong-Cheol","family":"Jeong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"KITECH , , 143, Hanggaulro, Sangnok-gu , ,","place":["Ansan, Republic of Korea, 15588"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"316","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026100915081930600_cit1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms22042148","article-title":"Endocrine disruptor potential of short- and long-chain perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)-A synthesis of current knowledge with proposal of molecular mechanism","volume":"22","author":"Mokra","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. 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