The
ability of lotus leaves to repel water is desired in numerous
applications, such as self-cleaning surfaces, biomedical devices,
and naval vessels. Creating materials that mimic the hierarchical
structure and surface chemistry of lotus leaves requires multistep
processes that are impractical for the mass production of nonwettable
products. Superhydrophobic surfaces have been created using graphene.
However, graphene sheets obtained through graphite exfoliation or
deposition on substrates are not superhydrophobic and require additional
processes to achieve lotus-like water repellency. In this work, we
show that graphene produced in the gas phase is inherently superhydrophobic.
Gas-phase-synthesized graphene (GSG) and lotus leaves have fundamentally
different structures, yet water droplets on both materials exhibit
comparable contact angles, roll-off angles, and bouncing characteristics.
Furthermore, hydrophilic surfaces become superhydrophobic when covered
with GSG. The substrate-free synthesis of GSG is straightforward and
sustainable, which could enable the manufacturing of a diverse range
of water-repellent technologies.
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