Liquid‐Infused Smooth Coating with Transparency, Super‐Durability, and Extraordinary Hydrophobicity

Abstract

Liquid‐infused coatings are because of their fluidity of considerable technological importance for hydrophobic materials with multifunctional properties, such as self‐healing, transmittance, and durability. However, conventional coatings absorb viscous liquid into their sponge‐like structured surface, causing uncontrollable liquid layer formation or liquid transport. In addition, a hydrophobic‐liquid‐retained surface can cause instability and lead to limitation of the hydrophobicity, optical properties, and flexibility due to liquid layer evaporation. Here, we report a strategy for controllable liquid‐layer formation on smooth surfaces (R rms < 1 nm) by π ‐electron interactions. Using this technology, superoleophilic wetting of decyltrimethoxysilane results in the design of a surface with π ‐interaction liquid adsorption, smoothness, and hydrophobicity (SPLASH), that shows extraordinary hydrophobicity (CAH = 0.75°), and stable repellence for various water‐based solutions including micrometer‐sized mist. The smoothness of the solid under a liquid layer enabled the SPLASH to exhibit stable hydrophobicity, transparency (>90%), structure damage durability and flexibility, regardless of the liquid layer thickness by bending or evaporation. Furthermore, the patterned π ‐electrons' localization on the smooth coating enables controlled liquid‐layer formation and liquid transport. This strategy may provide new insights into designing functional liquid surfaces and our designed surface with multifunctional properties could be developed for various applications.

Emerging Applications of Bioinspired Slippery Surfaces in Biomedical Fields

“…Besides of using textured surface to trap and stabilize lubricant, Shiratori et al. recently reported another strategy for controllable liquid‐layer formation on smooth substrate (R rms <1 nm) to design LISS by π‐electron interactions . A π‐electron‐abundant smooth base layer (BL) was prepared by silane technology.…”

“…Patterned liquid‐infused slippery surface (patterned LISS) has a potential in selective cell‐repellency and cell patterning due to spatially confinement based on the areas with/without lubrication and antibiofouling properties (e.g., cell‐repellency) . For instance, Levkin et al.…”

“…Besides of using textureds urfacet ot rap and stabilizel ubricant, Shiratori et al recently reported another strategy for controllable liquid-layer formation on smooth substrate (R rms < 1nm) to design LISS by p-electron interactions. [38] A p-electron-abundants mooth base layer (BL) was prepared by silane technology.A ss hown in Figure 5, the p-electron-abundant smoothB Li nteracted with decyltrimethoxysilane (DTMS) by pstacking, allowing as table liquid layer (DTMS) to be trapped on the solid smooth BL. The as prepared liquid-infused smooth coating could retain the water repellency after cotton abrasion, indicating the stable liquid layer formation.…”

“…Liquid-infuseds mooth coating with p-electron interactions. [38] (a) CH-p interactions between decyltrimethoxysilane (DTMS)asl iquid layer and SiO 2 -Ph as base layer inducedD TMS to spread out on SiO 2 -Ph rather than on SiO 2 -C10. (b) Schematic illustrating the structure and size of this coating.…”

Stable Omniphobic Anisotropic Covalently Grafted Slippery Surfaces for Directional Transportation of Drops and Bubbles

“…Furthermore, when SLIPSs were used to manipulate bubbles underwater, the lubricant in the surface partially floated out under the buoyancy of the water, which will lead to unstable surface properties . To overcome the defect, some efforts have been devoted to develop the stable slippery surface such as slippery gel surfaces and π‐interaction liquid adsorbed surfaces . Although the above surfaces show charming stability for up to ≈30 d, the stability is not stronger enough to meet the demand of practical applications.…”