Superhydrophobic Graphene-Based Materials: Surface Construction and Functional Applications

Many naturally occurring surfaces have superhydrophobicity that fulfils their functional demands, which has inspired considerable interest to develop similar artificial superhydrophobic surfaces with a variety of functionalities. Graphene is an ideal candidate for functional superhydrophobic surfaces due to its exceptional physicochemical properties. The recent advances in this emerging field are summarized, including the wetting behavior of water on graphene and the formation of crumpling/nanoparticle/foam-induced hierarchical structures, with emphasis on fundamental understanding for related processes. The potential applications in energy, environmental remediation, and thermal management are also discussed.