Bioinspired polyethylene terephthalate nanocone arrays with underwater superoleophobicity and anti-bioadhesion properties

Abstract

This paper presents a facile method to fabricate bioinspired polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nanocone arrays via colloidal lithography. The aspect ratio (AR) of the nanocones can be finely modulated ranging from 1 to 6 by regulating the etching time. The samples with the AR value of 6 can present underwater superoleophobicity with the underwater oil contact angle (OCA) of 171.8°. The as-prepared PET nanocone arrays perform anti-bioadhesion behavior, which inhibits the formation of the actin cytoskeleton when it used as the substrate for cell culture. Moreover, the oil wettability is temperature controlled after modifying the PET nanocone arrays with PNIPAAm film, and the oil wettability of the functionalized nanocone arrays can be transformed from the superoleophobic state with OCA about 151° to the oleophilic state with OCA about 25° reversibly. Due to the high-throughput, parallel fabrication and cost-efficiency of this method, it will be favourable for researchers to introduce oleophobic properties to various substrate and device surfaces. Due to the superoleophobicity and simple functionalizing properties, the PET nanocone arrays are very promising surfaces for anti-adhesion, self-cleaning and have potential applications in material, medical, and biological fields.

A Robust Cu(OH)2 Nanoneedles Mesh with Tunable Wettability for Nonaqueous Multiphase Liquid Separation

“…[ 24 ] Therefore, the preparation of micro/nanostructures on the solid surface to enhance the surface roughness is an effective means to achieve excellent property of oleophobicity, [25][26][27][28] and researchers have utilized various approaches to fabricate superamphiphobic membranes, [ 29 ] including chemical etching, [ 30 ] electrochemical process, [ 31 ] chemical vapor deposition, [ 32 ] and lithography. [ 33 ] These works show good feasibility to tune the oleophobicity of materials. But how to create a suitable oleophobicity to realize the separation of multiphase oils mixture is seldom concerned.…”

Combining the lotus leaf effect with artificial photosynthesis: regeneration of underwater superhydrophobicity of hierarchical ZnO/Si surfaces by solar water splitting

“…[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] Practical applications of non-wetting surfaces, however, have been impeded by the limited stability of their underwater superhydrophobicity. [26][27][28] According to the Cassie-Baxter model, the presence of an air interlayer on the submerged surface causes the non-wetting behavior, and thus, the stability of underwater superhydrophobicity is determined by the lifetime of the air (or gas) interlayer captured by the superhydrophobic surface. 29 However, the gas interlayer is unstable due to diffusion of the gas into the water.…”

Silicificated polymer arrays based on a strong adhesive polymer for antifouling coatings

“…Coatings with hydrophobic nanomaterials, such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) nanocone arrays, poly(ethylene terephthalate) fabrics, polyacrylamides and polyacrylates, exhibit different mechanisms for preventing protein adsorption and adhesion of bacteria. The hydrophobic surfaces are inspired by the lotus leaf in nature with a hierarchical nanostructure .…”