An Ultra Facile Debonding Method to Develop a Superhydrophobic Surface Based on a Polymer Composite Film

Abstract

Flexible and thin polymer surfaces with superhydrophobic characteristic have great prospects in many engineering fields, such as self-cleaning, ice-proofing, and drag reduction. However, the large-scale practical applications of superhydrophobic materials are still rarely reported and generally impeded by the existing fabrication methods due to the limits of complicated procedures, toxic solvent applications, harsh conditions occasionally, high cost and low yield. Herein, an ultra-facile one-step debonding method to develop superhydrophobic surface based on multilayer extruded macromolecular PA/PE composite film is developed. By employing thermoplasticity and extensibility of polymer film, the pristine smooth PA/PE film could get hierarchical microscale grass-like, block island and groove structures on its surface, forming an open air-pockets layer, which endows the normal film with new features of superhydrophobicity, low water adhesion, self-cleaning and ice-proofing with inexpensive, environmentally friendly, simple, and fast fabricating strategy.

Stretchable superhydrophobic fluororubber fabricated by transferring mesh microstructures

“…The prepared polymer film showed excellent superhydrophobicity and wear resistance. Liu et al 24 used porous stainless steel mesh as a template and used a hot-pressing method and thermoplasticity of the PE/PA film to prepare a super-hydrophobic film with hierarchical microscale grass-like, block island, and groove structures. The film had excellent water-repellent, anti-icing, and self-cleaning properties.…”