Thermal evaporation of multi-component waxes and thermally activated formation of nanotubules for superhydrophobic surfaces

Plant surfaces provide a large variety of functional structures. Epicuticular waxes represent the most common multifunctional surface structures existing in plants. Their ability to self-assemble into nanostructures has been studied. Artificial surfaces covered with wax nanotubules have been developed. Thermal evaporation has been used to deposit waxes, isolated from the leaves of Tropaeolum majus (Nasturtium), on artificial substrates. The thermal evaporation of multi-component T majus wax combined with specimen storage at 50 degrees C led to homogeneously covered artificial surfaces with superhydrophobic properties and low hysteresis. Fabricated structures and surface chemistry mimic the superhydrophobic surfaces of T. majus leaves. It has been demonstrated that superhydrophobicity and low hysteresis are connected to the nanostructure formed by hydrophobic wax tubules. The developed method for surface coating is based on self-assembly of multi-component waxes and results in a homogeneous coating of artificial surfaces with three-dimensional wax tubules. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.