Electrospinning of fluorinated polymers: Formation of superhydrophobic surfaces

Superhydrophobic surfaces are generated by a simple one-step method of electrospinning of fluorinated homopolymers and copolymers of PFS. The hydrophobicity and superhydrophobicity can be changed by simply changing the surface morphology, which is possible by changing the electrospinning conditions. The appropriate combination of surface morphology and fluorinated materials led to the formation of super-water-resistant coatings showing the 'water-roll' effect at an angle of 0 degrees, i.e. placement of water droplets on such surfaces was not possible as they immediately rolled away. The effect is compared with the corresponding nonfluorinated PS and found to be clearly distinct in terms of water-roll effect. Incorporation of about 30 mol-% PFS onto the PS backbone could also convert hydrophobic PS surfaces to superhydrophobic surfaces. The effect is generalized by also using a new fluorinated poly(p-xylylene) derivative. The molecular weight of the polymers has no noticeable effect on hydrophobicity/superhydrophobicity behavior.