Development of Poly(propylene) Superhydrophobic Surfaces by Functionalised TiO2 Nanoparticles: Effect of Solvents and Dipping Times

摘要

We present a simple strategy for the fabrication of poly(propylene) (PP) superhydrophobic surfaces, i.e., surfaces that show water contact angle (WCA)≥150á after a simple dipping process. Injection-moulded PP samples were coated with titanium dioxide nanoparticles previously functionalised with trimethoxy propyl silane. Water, ethanol or xylene were used as solvents in the nanoparticles’ suspensions. The prepared superhydrophobic surfaces were characterised by WCA, FTIR-ATR, SEM and profilometry measurements. PP coated samples showed very low wettability, with WCAs higher than 150á when xylene was used as a solvent. The combination of increasing the surface roughness via dipping coating process plus the low surface tension of the coating produced the final superhydrophobic PP substrates.