Preparation and performance study of superhydrophobic layer based on fluffy ZnO rods/PDMS

The preparation of superhydrophobic layers and their research in various fields has always been a hot topic. In this work, we designed a fluffy micro-nano structure model of Zinc oxide (ZnO) to investigate their superhydrophobic properties furtherly. A simple and easily achievable preparation method of superhydrophobic coatings was proposed: The ZnO/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer was prepared by strictly controlling the ratio of ZnO to PDMS. Based on this, the staggered-growth ZnO rods were prepared on the substrate surface by hydrothermal method. These ZnO rods are structured with micrometer lengths and nanometer diameters, and they form a fluffy ZnO layer on the original coating surface. After being modified by 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane, the coating possessed excellent superhydrophobic properties with a contact angle of 161 degrees After growing ZnO rods on the surface, the surface roughness was reduced from 326 nm to 181 nm. The superhydrophobic coating has excellent self-cleaning properties, high resistance to acid and alkali corrosion, and superhydrophobic properties against various common liquids. Even after exposure to air for up to 6 months, the contact angle of the superhydrophobic coating can remain above 153 degrees This study provides an excellent idea for future research on superhydrophobic coatings.

Automated summary

In this study, a fluffy micro-nano structure model of Zinc oxide (ZnO) was designed to investigate its superhydrophobic properties. A simple method of superhydrophobic coatings preparation was proposed by controlling the ratio of ZnO to polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). ZnO rods were grown on the substrate surface using the hydrothermal method, and the resulting coating showed excellent superhydrophobic properties after modification with 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane. This study provides a great idea for future research on superhydrophobic coatings.