Design and fabrication of superamphiphobic coating based on raspberry-like F-SiO2@PSA hybrid nanocomposite particles

Emulsifier-free polymerization was employed to prepare the submicron spherical PSA (the copolymer of styrene and acrylic acid), then SiO2 was grown on the surface of the PSA by sol-gel method to form F-SiO2@PSA par-ticles. It was found that when styrene: acrylic acid = 2.5:1 and tetraethyl orthosilicate: PSA was between 2.17:1 and 6.38:1, a perfect raspberry-like structure could be obtained. The coating based on F-SiO2@PSA particles exhibited contact angles of 167.3 & PLUSMN; 1.4 degrees, 152.1 & PLUSMN; 1.5 degrees ,150.3 & PLUSMN; 1.6 degrees, 150.9 & PLUSMN; 1.6 degrees, 142.2 & PLUSMN; 1.7 degrees, 143.7 & PLUSMN; 1.5 degrees and 146.6 & PLUSMN; 1.9 degrees to water, diiodomethane, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, hexadecane, kerosene, and waste engine oil, respectively. The F-SiO2@PSA coating could reduce the adsorption of protein by 90% compared with the control surface. It was observed that bacteria and platelets could hardly adhere to the coating surface after 24 h of E. coli culture and 3 h of platelet-rich plasma immersion. The anti-adhesion to proteins, platelets, and bacteria will give the coating a promising application in the medical field.

Automated summary

Emulsifier-free polymerization was used to prepare submicron spherical PSA and SiO2 was grown on the surface to create F-SiO2@PSA particles. The coating based on these particles exhibited excellent anti-adhesion properties to proteins, platelets, and bacteria. The promising application potential of this coating in the medical field was demonstrated.