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Static and dynamic characterization of robust superhydrophobic surfaces built from nano-flowers on silicon micro-post arrays

Longquan Chen1, Zhiyong Xiao2, Philip C H Chan2 and Yi-Kuen Lee1,3

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Superhydrophobic nano-flower surfaces were fabricated using MEMS technology and microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) of carbon nanotubes on silicon micro-post array surfaces. The nano-flower structures can be readily formed within 1–2 min on the micro-post arrays with the spacing ranging from 25 to 30 µm. The petals of the nano-flowers consisted of clusters of multi-wall carbon nanotubes. Patterned nano-flower structures were characterized using various microscopy techniques. After MPCVD, the apparent contact angle (160 ± 0.2°), abbreviated as ACA (defined as the measured angle between the apparent solid surface and the tangent to the liquid–fluid interface), of the nano-flower surfaces increased by 139% compared with that of the silicon micro-post arrays. The measured ACA of the nano-flower surface is consistent with the predicted ACA from a modified Cassie–Baxter equation. A high-speed CCD camera was used to study droplet impact dynamics on various micro/nanostructured surfaces. Both static testing (ACA and sliding angle) and droplet impact dynamics demonstrated that, among seven different micro/nanostructured surfaces, the nano-flower surfaces are the most robust superhydrophobic surfaces.


PACS

81.16.Be Chemical synthesis methods

61.46.Fg Nanotubes

68.03.Cd Surface tension and related phenomena

52.77.Dq Plasma-based ion implantation and deposition

81.15.Gh Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced CVD, MOCVD, etc.)

Subjects

Soft matter, liquids and polymers

Surfaces, interfaces and thin films

Plasma physics

Nanoscale science and low-D systems

Dates

Issue 10 (October 2010)

Received 18 April 2010, in final form 31 July 2010

Published 1 September 2010



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