Nanocarbon-Induced Rapid Transformation of Polymer Surfaces into Superhydrophobic Surfaces

We present a facile method for fabricating superhydrophobic polymer surfaces by solubility modulation and nanocarbon (NC) induced crystallization of polycarbonate (PC). The method consists of dipping polymer sheets in a solvent in which the polymer is partially soluble and then inducing solution crystallization by dipping the sheet in a poor solvent for several seconds. A solvent mixture of methyl ehtyl ketone and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) was optimized to shorten the crystallization time in a poor solvent. Single walled carbon nanotubes multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), and graphene oxide sheets were used to nucleate PC crystallization. In particular monolayer graphene sheets were prepared by reducing graphene oxide with hydrazine. Crystalline micro and nanostructures rapidly formed upon dipping of the PC sheets in the solution containing NCs followed by immersion in IPA. The structures depended on the dimensions of the NCs. Especially in the MWNT solution dipping for 10s was sufficient to create a superhydrophobic surface. Crystallization of PC and the incorporation of NCs during crystallization were characterized by Raman spectroscopy.