Superhydrophobic fluorine-free hierarchical coatings produced by vacuum based method

• Published in: Materials letters 2016-03, Vol.167, p.30-33
• Main Authors: Petr, M., Hanuš, J., Kylián, O., Kratochvíl, J., Solař, P., Slavínská, D., Biederman, H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agglomeration; Coatings; Copper; Deposition; Gas aggregation sources; Hierarchical coatings; Nanoparticles; Plasma polymerization; Polymerization; Roughness; Superhydrophobicity
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2015.12.126

In this study it is presented fully vacuum-based, substrate independent method for fabrication of fluorine-free superhydrophobic surfaces based on combination of gas aggregation sources of nanoparticles and plasma polymerization. This method involves deposition of films of nanoparticles that are subsequently overcoated by plasma polymerized n-hexane. Two different kinds of nanoparticles that differ significantly in their sizes were used: small Cu nanoparticles (mean diameter 18nm) and big plasma polymerized C:H nanoparticles (diameter 110nm). It is demonstrated that superhydrophobic and slippery character may be achieved when surfaces with dual-scale roughness were prepared combining bigger C:H nanoparticles with smaller Cu nanoparticles. •Fluorine-free superhydrophobic coatings were prepared.•The deposition process combines gas aggregation sources with PE-CVD.•The superhydrophobicity was allowed by hierarchical character of the coatings.•The deposition process is fully vacuum based and substrate independent.