Bioinspired Nanotubes by Soft‐template Electropolymerization from Fully Conjugated Monomers

Abstract

Bioinspired by the strong water‐adhesive forces of gecko foot or rose petals, here, nanotubular structures are prepared by soft‐template electropolymerization. Water is mixed to a solvent of low water‐solubility to form a micellar solution in the presence of tetrabutylammonium perchlorate as the electrolyte and surfactant. As the monomer, a benzene is trifunctionalized with various thiophene and carbazole moieties. The monomers are fully conjugated to favor the deposition compared to polymerization, as confirmed by cyclic voltammetry experiments. The surface nanostructures (nanotubes, nano‐ribbons, coral‐like structures) are highly dependent on the monomer and the water content but less on the deposition method. The maximum water contact angle is 158.1° accompanied with strong water adhesive force. These surfaces are highly interesting for applications in water‐harvesting systems or in sensing platforms.