Journal of Materials Science, Vol.45, No.12, 3247-3253, 2010
Design of superhydrophobic ultraoleophobic NyCo
The apparent contact angles of dodecane droplets deposited on a 50:50 nylon:cotton blended woven fabric (NyCo) were measured, and the characteristics required for an ultraoleophobic surface were described. The metastable Cassie-Baxter model, a transition status from the original Cassie-Baxter model to the Wenzel model, was investigated to design ultraoleophobic surfaces and to understand the wetting behavior of such surfaces. Using chemical and geometrical modifications of NyCo, a surface having contact angles to dodecane of greater than 150A degrees and water contact angles of greater than 165A degrees has been prepared. Good agreement between the predicted and measured contact angles was obtained. Developing a superhydrophobic ultraoleophobic material has been achieved by two criteria: a low-surface-energy and a properly designed surface morphology.