When applied to a surface, this ceramic-polymer composite results in articles with more durable superhydrophobic and oleophobic coatings. Surface cleaning and repainting of buildings, vehicles and energy collection devices can be costly and time consuming. For example, the average American has to repaint his or her house every five to six years and spends thousands of dollars doing so; it is easy to see the advantage in using a coating that repels dirt, oil, and water. Available surface coatings are water repellent and some even repel oil, but no superhydrophobic and oleophobic surface can be produced easily on substrates nor do they display sufficient performance and durability. Researchers at the University of Florida, however, have developed a new type of surface coating that is easily applied, addresses durability and performance issues of available products, and makes surfaces both superhydrophobic and oleophobic. This solution can be applied to various substrates to render them both water and oil repellent.
A ceramic-polymer composite that makes surfaces superhydrophoic and oleophobic
A surface with an inherent repellency of water, oil, and dirt is governed by surface-energy parameters between the surface and the contacting liquid or solid. Where the sum of free surface energies is low, adhesion is weak. Teflon’s non-stick surface is an example of this. When principles apparent in nature and science -- such as van der Waals forces, the "lotus effect," the plastron effect, and the Cassie-Baxter state -- are applied, surfaces effectively repel dirt, water, and oil, making them virtually self-cleaning. With this coating, all of those principles are in force. Whether directly applied to an article or included in paint or other materials, when the applied coating reaches its final in-use state, the surface will be superhydrophobic and oleophobic; water and oil droplets will roll off instead of adhering to the surface, taking any dirt with them.
