title: Multi-fractal hierarchy of single-walled carbon nanotube hydrophobic coatings.
abstract: A hierarchical structure is an assembly with a multi-scale morphology and with a large and accessible surface area. Recent advances in nanomaterial science have made increasingly possible the design of hierarchical surfaces with specific and tunable properties. Here, we report the fractal analysis of hierarchical single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) films realized by a simple, rapid, reproducible, and inexpensive filtration process from an aqueous dispersion, then deposited by drytransfer printing method on several substrates, at room temperature. Furthermore, by varying the thickness of carbon nanotube random networks, it is possible tailoring their wettability due to capillary phenomena in the porous films. Moreover, in order to describe the wetting properties of such surfaces, we introduce a two-dimensional extension of the Wenzel-Cassie-Baxter theory. The hierarchical surface roughness of SWCNT coatings coupled with their exceptional and tunable optical and electrical properties provide an ideal hydrophobic composite surface for a new class of optoelectronic and nanofluidic devices.
authors.affiliation: 1] Dipartimento di Fisica, Universitá di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma, Italy [2] Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Universitá di Roma Tor Vergata (INFN-Roma Tor Vergata), Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Nicola
authors.affiliation: 1] Dipartimento di Fisica, Universitá di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma, Italy [2] Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Universitá di Roma Tor Vergata (INFN-Roma Tor Vergata), Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castrucci
authors.affiliation: 1] Dipartimento di Fisica, Universitá di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma, Italy [2] Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Universitá di Roma Tor Vergata (INFN-Roma Tor Vergata), Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scarselli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Impresa, Universitá di Roma Tor Vergata (INSTM-UdR Roma Tor Vergata), Via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nanni
authors.affiliation: Universitá di Roma Niccoló Cusano (INSTM-UdR), Via Don Carlo Gnocchi 3, 00166 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cacciotti
authors.affiliation: 1] Dipartimento di Fisica, Universitá di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma, Italy [2] Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Universitá di Roma Tor Vergata (INFN-Roma Tor Vergata), Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma, Italy [3] Istituto di Struttura della Materia, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ISM-CNR), Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00100 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Crescenzi