Multi‐Scenario Applications of Fluoro‐Free Super Liquid‐Repellent Particles Prepared Through Excluded Volume Effect

Abstract

Superhydrophobic surfaces garner tremendous research attention due to their potential applications in the fields of oil–water separation membrane, self‐cleaning, and anti‐icing systems. However, the reported superhydrophobic materials that achieve low‐surface‐tension (<60 mN m−1) liquid repellency are typically prepared using perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), which pose significant risks to the natural environment and human health. Here a concept based on the excluded volume effect in polymer dilute solutions is explored to achieve a hydrophobic flexible polymer‐chain wrapping of multidimensional particles, which forms a nonadherent soft‐shell‐hard‐core structure and maintains the original structural integrity of particles. The prepared fluoro‐free super‐repellent multidimensional particles can be spray‐coated and dip‐coated on different substrates to prepare large‐scale superhydrophobic coatings, which exhibit excellent low‐surface‐tension (42.6−50 mN m−1) liquid repellency superior to the reported fluoro‐free superhydrophobic materials. Benefiting from the strong interaction of super‐repellent particles with flexible polymer chains, the superhydrophobic coatings show unexpected wear resistance and durability. This first demonstration of hydrophobic polymer‐wrapped particles for repelling low‐surface‐tension liquids provides insights into next‐generation fluoro‐free superhydrophobic materials.