Dual-layered-coated mechanically-durable superomniphobic surfaces with anti-smudge properties.

Bio-inspired surfaces that exhibit high contact angle and low contact angle hysteresis for various liquids and demonstrate mechanical durability and anti-smudge properties are of interest for various applications. The fabrication of such surfaces has often involved complex or expensive processes, required techniques that may not be suitable for various substrates and particles, may require surface post-treatment, or may lack durability. Dual layered coatings of roughness-induced superomniphobic surfaces that demonstrate good mechanical durability were fabricated on glass substrates using hydrophobic SiO2 nanoparticles and low surface energy fluorobinders using dip coating and spray coating techniques.

Thermally tunable surface wettability of electrospun fiber mats: polystyrene/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) blended versus crosslinked poly[(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-(methacrylic acid)].

This work reports on thermally tunable surface wettability of electrospun fiber mats of: polystyrene (PS)/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) blended (bl-PS/PNIPA) and crosslinked poly[(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-[methacrylic acid)] (PNIPAMAA) (xl-NIPAMAA). Both the bl-PS/PNIPA and xl-PNIPAMAA fiber mats demonstrate reversibly switchable surface wettability, with the bl-PS/PNIPA fiber mats approaching superhydrophobic ≥150° and superhydrophilic contact angle (CA) values at extreme temperatures. Weight loss studies carried out at 10 °C indicate that the crosslinked PNIPAMAA fiber mats had better structural integrity than the bl-PS/PNIPA fiber mats.

Coaxially electrospun PVDF-Teflon AF and Teflon AF-PVDF core-sheath nanofiber mats with superhydrophobic properties.

This work reports the coaxial electrospinning of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-Teflon amorphous fluoropolymer (AF) and Teflon AF-PVDF core-sheath nanofiber mats yielding superhydrophobic properties. The coaxial electrospinning configuration allows for the electrospinning of Teflon AF, a nonelectrospinnable polymer, with the help of an electrospinnable PVDF polymer. PVDF-Teflon AF and Teflon AF-PVDF core-sheath fibers have been found to a have mean fiber diameter ranging from 400 nm to less than 100 nm.