Tunable wettability and rewritable wettability gradient from superhydrophilicity to superhydrophobicity.
A simple method for the fabrication of tunable surfaces with wettability that can be manipulated rapidly and reversibly from superhydrophilicity to superhydrophobicity is reported. A polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) was deposited on a rough substrate, and via ion exchange of the counterion in the PEM, the water contact angle of the surface was switched between <5 degrees and 164 degrees. By controlling the ion-exchange kinetics, on the same surface, completely erasable, rewritable gradient wettability from superhydrophilicity to superhydrophobicity was conveniently achieved.
Wang
Liming
L
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, PR China.
Peng
Bo
B
Su
Zhaohui
Z
D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007700:Kinetics; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D017155:Wettability
D004573:Electrolytes; D011108:Polymers