Superhydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene thin films with hierarchical roughness deposited using a single step vapor phase technique

• Published in: Thin solid films 2009-06, Vol.517 (16), p.4555-4559
• Main Authors: Gupta, Sushant, Arjunan, Arul Chakkaravarthi, Deshpande, Sameer, Seal, Sudipta, Singh, Deepika, Singh, Rajiv K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atomic force microscopy; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Dual-scale roughness; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physics; Polytetrafluoroethylene; Pulsed electron deposition; Structure and morphology; thickness; Superhydrophobicity; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Theory and models of film growth; Thin film structure and morphology; Thin films
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2008.12.048

Superhydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene films with hierarchical surface roughness were deposited using pulse electron deposition technique. We were able to modulate roughness of the deposited films by controlling the beam energy and hence the electron penetration depth. The films deposited at higher beam energy showed contact angle as high as 166°. The scanning electron and atomic force microscope studies revealed clustered growth and two level sub-micron asperities on films deposited at higher energies. Such dual-scale hierarchical roughness and heterogeneities at the water–surface interface was attributed to the observed contact angle and thus its superhydrophobic nature.