Superhydrophobic Films of Electrospun Fibers with Multiple-Scale Surface Morphology

Abstract

Superhydrophobic nanofiber films were created from electrospun nanofibers with undulated surfaces at multiple scales in micrometers and nanometers. The electrospun nanofibers were produced out of aqueous solutions which contained water-soluble polymers and different colloids: monodisperse silica or polystyrene microspheres for larger particles and monodisperse silica nanoparticles for smaller particles. Various types of fibrous films were produced depending on the properties of the dispersing medium, the effects of additives, and the compositions of the bidisperse colloids. When polystyrene microspheres were used as sacrificial templates, macropores were left behind in the nanofibers during the removal of polystyrene microspheres by calcination. The nonwoven films of electrospun nanofibers, which were decorated with silica microspheres or macropores, could be continuously produced with considerable ease under a relatively wide range of operating conditions. The surface properties of the films were characterized by contact angle measurement and an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer. Through the surface modification of the electrospun nanofibers with fluorinated silane coupling agents, superhydrophobic surfaces with low sliding angles were successfully prepared.

Preparation of superhydrophobic and self-cleaning polysulfone non-wovens by electrospinning: influence of process parameters on morphology and hydrophobicity

“…A number of methods were employed to fabricate and control the surface roughness, including; lithography, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), polymer reconformation, sublimation, electrospinning, plasma technique, sol-gel processing, electrodeposition, hydrothermal synthesis, and layer-by-layer methods [1]. As a result of their high surface roughness, films fabricated from micro and nanofiber morphologies are shown to have high CAs [5][6][7][8].…”

“…Different approaches are used to synthesize micro and nanofibers; electrospinning is one of the most versatile techniques used to roughen surfaces [6][7][8][9]. Due to its low cost, applicability to a wide range of materials, and ability to produce fibers with diameters ranging from scores of nanometers to several micrometers, electrospinning has attracted more attention for academic studies and industrial applications [3,9,10].…”

Hydrophobic mechanism and criterion of lotus-leaf-like micro-convex-concave surface

“…These papillary, fiber strip shaped [4,13] and network-like [14,15] limited liquid-solid interface structures have been verified in a large number of hydrophobic materials. Recently, the measurement results of the contact angle of the hydrophobic surface of chemically etched H62 brass showed [16] that the maximum contact angle obtained on the ladder-like rough surface was 131.8°, which was very close to the theoretical calculation value of 129.8° obtained by eq.…”

Continuous Pearl-Necklace-Shaped In<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>3</SUB> Ceramic Nanofibers: Preparation, Characterization and Gas Sensing Properties

“…[10][11][12] All attempts have proved that electrospinning process is a straightforward and fast method to construct 1D necklace nanostructures between the polymers and the particles. [13][14][15][16] Pure and Pd, Pt or Ag-doped In 2 O 3 nanofibers were synthesized by electrospinning and their optical properties, gas sensing properties have also been studied. [17][18][19][20][21][22] However, to the best of our knowledge, there has been no report on the synthesis of pearl-necklace-shaped In 2 O 3 ceramic nanofibers consisting of single crystal grain building blocks.…”