Designing Tunable Omniphobic Surfaces by Controlling the Electropolymerization Sites of Carbazole-Based Monomers

Carbazole-based monomers are electrodeposited in dichloromethane with different water content and water pH in order to control the surface micro- and nanostructures. The presence of water makes the depositions more porous by the formation of a micellar soft template. Due to the presence of the free amine groups, the water acidity plays a role on the structure of the monomers by protonation, limiting their polymerization ways and thus controlling the morphology of the structures. The wetting properties are tuned either by deprotonation of the depositions, or fluorinated postgrafting. Surfaces reach superhydrophobic and oleophobic properties.

Automated summary

Carbazole-based monomers are electrodeposited in dichloromethane with different water content and pH, controlling the surface micro- and nanostructures. The presence of water leads to more porous depositions through micellar soft template formation, while water acidity affects the structure and morphology of the monomers. Wetting properties can be tuned through deprotonation or fluorinated postgrafting, resulting in superhydrophobic and oleophobic surfaces.