Superhydrophobic MWCNTs/PDMS-nanocomposite materials: Preparation and characterization

The surface morphology, structure and hydrophobicity of low-and high-molecular weight poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) fluids physically adsorbed onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) at different weight percentages (5, 10, 20 and 40 wt.%), were studied employing X-ray diffraction (XRD), attenuated total reflectanceFouriertransforminfrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and measurements of contact angle with water. It was found that MWCNTs agglomerate forming voids between tubes of a broad range, while adsorption of the polymer from a hexane solution results in the expected wrapping of nanotubes withPDMS chains and, further, in filling voids, as represented by SEM data. ATR-FTIR was used to investigate the possible structural changes in the polymer nanocomposites. Based on the contact anglemeasurementsvia water drop shape analysis,MWCNTs/PDMS nanocomposites were characterizedas astable,superhydrophobic materials with the maximum contact angle (CA) equal to 152°at CPDMS=40wt.%.

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1. Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Grant No. 03/32/SBAD/0906)

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2. Visegrad Fund (Contract number 51910525)

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3. Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MNiSW, umowa Nr 461252 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki i promocja sportu (2020).