Extremely superhydrophobic surfaces with micro- and nanostructures fabricated by copper catalytic etching

Langmuir. 2011 Jan 18;27(2):809-14. doi: 10.1021/la1045354. Epub 2010 Dec 16.

Abstract

We demonstrate a simple method for the fabrication of rough silicon surfaces with micro- and nanostructures, which exhibited superhydrophobic behaviors. Hierarchically rough silicon surfaces were prepared by copper (Cu)-assisted chemical etching process where Cu nanoparticles having particle size of 10-30 nm were deposited on silicon surface, depending on the period of time of electroless Cu plating. Surface roughness was controlled by both the size of Cu nanoparticles and etching conditions. As-synthesized rough silicon surfaces showed water contact angles ranging from 93° to 149°. Moreover, the hierarchically rough silicon surfaces were chemically modified by spin-coating of a thin layer of Teflon precursor with low surface energy. And thus it exhibited nonsticky and enhanced hydrophobic properties with extremely high contact angle of nearly 180°.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Catalysis
  • Copper / chemistry*
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Particle Size
  • Silicon / chemistry*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Copper
  • Silicon