Journal
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
Volume 591, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.153097
Keywords
Electron beam irradiation; Silicone rubber; Hydrophobic surface modification; Glycerol; Electron beam irradiation; Silicone rubber; Hydrophobic surface modification; Glycerol
Categories
Funding
- National Natural Science of China
- Program for HUST Academic Frontier Youth Team ()
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This study developed a cost-effective method to increase the surface hydrophobicity of silicone rubber through electron beam irradiation in the presence of glycerol. It was found that the network structure formed on the silicone rubber surface was responsible for the increased hydrophobicity. This method has the advantages of cost-effectiveness, easy operation, and non-toxicity of glycerol, making it applicable for large-scale industrial production and modification of silicone rubber.
A cost-effective and scalable silicone rubber (SR) modification technology for increasing its surface hydrophobicity is urgently needed to enhance the stability of global power systems. In this work, an easily accessible method was developed to increase the surface hydrophobicity of silicone rubber, which was established by highenergy electron beam irradiation in the presence of a layer of glycerol. Although glycerol is a highly hydrophilic alcohol, the contact angle of silicone rubber can be surprisingly increased by 19.9% with the irradiation treatment of glycerol. Despite a high hydroxyl content being observed, a network structure formed on the silicone rubber surface is responsible for the increase in hydrophobicity. Control experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were also conducted to shed light on the underlying mechanism. This method has some intrinsic advantages, such as cost-effectiveness, easy operation and nontoxicity of glycerol; thus, it is expected to be applicable in large-scale industrial production and modification of silicone rubber.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available