Enhanced Hydrophobicity of CeO2 Thin Films by Surface Engineering

Abstract

Due to its advanced surface properties and many technologically important applications, cerium dioxide (CeO2, ceria) has become the focus of extensive research. This work presents a study of factors influencing the wetting properties of ceria. For this, CeO2 thin films were deposited on substrates with different morphologies and characterized by means of XRD, SEM, XPS and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The obtained results on wetting behavior were expanded using different organic materials on top of the CeO2 thin films to enhance their hydrophobicity. The achieved WCAs were compared with those from samples without ceria to find the effect of the material on the water repelling properties. The results revealed that all factors – the surface material, adsorbed organic molecules and surface texturization – modify the wetting properties of CeO2 thin films independently. This indicates that to achieve a superhydrophobic condition it is necessary to assess all the parameters which may control water behavior on the surface.