From superhydrophobicity and water repellency to superhydrophilicity: smart polymer-functionalized surfaces.
pH-responsive surfaces, reversibly switching between superhydrophilicity and superhydrophobicity/water repellency, are developed by "grafting from" a pH-sensitive polymer onto a hierarchically micro/nano-structured substrate. We quantify the water repellency by investigating the restitution coefficient of water droplets bouncing off the surfaces. The water repellent state requires appropriate hydrophobicity of the functionalizing polymer as well as very low values of contact angle hysteresis.
Stratakis
Emmanuel
E
Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research & Technology-Hellas, 711 10 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Mateescu
Anca
A
Barberoglou
Marios
M
Vamvakaki
Maria
M
Fotakis
Costas
C
Anastasiadis
Spiros H
SH