One‐step modification method to fabricate wettability patterns on aluminium substrate. (1st November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zheng, Huanxi; Huang, Shuai; Liu, Jiyu; Chen, Faze; Yang, Xiaolong; Liu, Xin; Sun, Jing; Xu, Wenji
• Is Part Of: Micro & nano letters. Volume 11:Number 11(2016)
• Page Start: 697
• Page End: 701
• Publication Date: 2016-11-01
• Subjects: wetting -- aluminium -- hydrophobicity -- hydrophilicity -- surface energy -- etching -- contact angle -- Fourier transform infrared spectra -- Raman spectra -- high‐temperature effects -- rough surfaces -- nanostructured materials -- nanofabrication -- nanopatterning; one‐step modification method -- wettability patterns -- aluminium substrate -- superhydrophobic regions -- superhydrophilic surfaces -- surface energy -- chemical etching -- micro‐nanoscale rough structures -- patterned mask -- siloxane composition -- water bath heating -- contact angles -- sliding angle -- Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer -- Raman spectra -- hydrophobic groups -- high‐temperature resistance -- temperature 80 degC -- time 20 s -- Al; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanostructures -- Periodicals; Microtechnology -- Periodicals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1049/mnl.2016.0187
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1750-0443

Abstract

Abstract : Since there is currently no method to selectively fabricate superhydrophobic regions on superhydrophilic surfaces of metal substrates, wettability patterns on metal substrates are prepared via the three‐step technique including superhydrophilic, superhydrophobic and selectively superhydrophilic modifications. Here, an innovative method that can selectively lower surface energy of superhydrophilic surfaces, and thereby makes it more convenient to fabricate the wettability patterns, is proposed. Chemical etching is used to formulate micro/nanoscale rough structures and fabricate superhydrophilic aluminium (Al) surface, which is then covered by patterned mask whose main composition is siloxane. Removing the mask after 80°C water bath heating for 20 s, the covered Al surface has been modified to become superhydrophobic (contact angles >165°, sliding angles <1.5°), while the uncovered region is still superhydrophilic, and wettability patterns are therefore obtained. Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer and Raman spectra indicate that the change of wettability is induced by hydrophobic groups on the modified surfaces. The superhydrophobic surfaces fabricated by this method have excellent high‐temperature resistance. The method proposed is simple, rapid and environmental‐friendly.