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Argon Plasma Treatment of Fluorine‐Free Silane Coatings: A Facile, Environment‐Friendly Method to Prepare Durable, Superhydrophobic Fabrics
Author(s) -
Liu Shuai,
Zhou Hua,
Wang Hongxia,
Zhao Yan,
Shao Hao,
Xu Zhiguang,
Feng Zhihua,
Liu Deqi,
Lin Tong
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced materials interfaces
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.671
H-Index - 65
ISSN - 2196-7350
DOI - 10.1002/admi.201700027
Subject(s) - materials science , silane , contact angle , argon , composite material , wafer , coating , plasma cleaning , alkyl , silicon , superhydrophobic coating , plasma , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , metallurgy , chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
A novel method to prepare durable superhydrophobic fabrics through pre‐applying an alkyl silane (alkyl chain longer than C15) onto fabric substrate and by subsequent vacuum plasma treatment in argon is reported. The treated fabrics show a contact angle of 154.2° with low contact angle hysteresis (sliding angle 4.5°). The coatings are durable and can withstand 150 cycles of standard laundries. The argon plasma treatment is found to significantly enhance SiOSi bonding among the silane molecules, leading to a highly crosslinked silica network. The silane coating also shows high optical transparency. Apart from fabrics, other substrates such as filter paper, plastic film, glass slide, silicon wafer, and metal are treated in a similar way, and all the treated surface show durable hydrophobicity, though the contact angle is lower than that of the coated fabrics. Post‐crosslinking of silane through argon plasma treatment may offer a facile but environment‐friendly way to prepare durable superhydrophobic fabrics.