This review summarizes the key topics in the field of large-area fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces, concentrating on substrates that have been used in commercial applications. Practical approaches to superhydrophobic surface construction and hydrophobization are discussed. Applications of superhydrophobic surfaces are described and future trends in superhydrophobic surfaces are predicted.

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Superhydrophobic poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) textile surfaces with a self-cleaning property were fabricated by treating the microscale fibers with alkali followed by coating with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that alkali treatment etched the PET and resulted in nanoscale pits on the fiber surfaces, making the textiles have hierarchical structures. Coating of PDMS on the etched fibers affected little the roughening structures while lowered the surface energy of the fibers, thus making the textiles show slippery superhydrophobicity with a self-cleaning effect. Wettability tests showed that the superhydrophobic textiles were robust to acid/alkaline etching, UV irradiation, and long-time laundering. Importantly, the textiles maintained superhydrophobicity even when the textiles are ruptured by severe abrasion. Also colorful images could be imparted to the superhydrophobic textiles by a conventional transfer printing without affecting the superhydrophobicity.

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Superhydrophobic surfaces were fabricated via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization of fluorinated methacrylates on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabrics. The hydrophobicity of the PET fabric was systematically tunable by controlling the polymerization time. The obtained superhydrophobic fabrics showed excellent chemical robustness even after exposure to different chemicals, such as acid, base, salt, acetone, and toluene. Importantly, the fabrics maintained superhydrophobicity after 2500 abrasion cycles, 100 laundering cycles, and long time exposure to UV irradiation. Also, the surface of the superhydrophobic fabrics showed excellent antifouling properties.

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A robust, self-healing superhydrophobic poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabric was fabricated by a convenient solution-dipping method using an easily available material system consisting of polydimethylsiloxane and octadecylamine (ODA). The surface roughness was formed by self-roughening of ODA coating on PET fibers without any lithography steps or adding any nanomaterials. The fabric coating was durable to withstand 120 cycles of laundry and 5000 cycles of abrasion without apparently changing the superhydrophobicity. More interestingly, the fabric can restore its super liquid-repellent property by 72 h at room temperature even after 20000 cycles of abrasion. Meanwhile, after being damaged chemically, the fabric can restore its superhydrophobicity automatically in 12 h at room temperature or by a short-time heating treatment. We envision that this simple but effective coating system may lead to the development of robust protective clothing for various applications.

Maintaining hierarchical roughness and a low surface energy property are keys to long lasting superhydrophobic surfaces. By spraying polystyrene/SiO 2 core/shell nanoparticles as a coating skeleton and polydimethylsiloxane as hydrophobic interconnection, lasting and self-healing superhydrophobic surfaces were fabricated. The coating exposed new roughening structures during the rubbing process, thus maintaining a suitable hierarchical roughness, favouring a superhydrophobic property of the surface. Also, the superhydrophobicity of a damaged surface from an air plasma treatment could be automatically restored in 12 h at room temperature or by heat curing and tetrahydrofuran treatment, which helped with the release of hydrophobic polystyrene. This strategy may find practical applications in all kinds of substrates because spray coating is a simple process, and the obtained surfaces possess lasting superhydrophobicity.