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Superwetting Polymeric Composites

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2019) | Viewed by 9298

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Graduate Institute of Applied Science and Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan
Interests: superwetting materials; polymeric composites; oil/water separation; surface modification; surface free energy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate Institute of Applied Science and Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan
Interests: membrane; graphene; positron; surface modification; liquid separation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to invite you to submit your work to a Special Issue on "Preparations and Applications of Superwetting Polymeric Composites ". The performance of a polymer material is often dictated by its surface properties, such as its wettability. The wettability of a surface is determined by a combination of its chemical properties and topographical microstructures. Over the past 15 years, bioinspired polymeric composites possessing superwetting properties (superhydrophobicity, superhydrophilicity, superoleophobicity, and superoleophilicity) have attracted a large amount of commercial and academic attention due to their wide range of applications, such as waterproofing, anti-fogging, antifouling, anti-icing, fluidic drag reduction, anti-corrosion, oil/water separation, and functional textiles. Although superwetting polymeric composites are already used in a variety of products today, there is still a need to development new materials to improve their performance and enhance applications.

In particular, the topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Superhydrophobic polymeric composites.
  • Superamphiphobic polymeric composites.
  • Polymeric composites with anisotropic or patterned wettabilities.
  • Polymeric composites with switchable wettability.
  • Superhydrophilic polymeric composites.
  • Slippery liquid-infused porous polymeric composites.
  • Functional textiles with superwetting properties.

Prof. Chif-Feng Wang
Prof. Wei-Song Hung
Guest Editors

Keywords

  • Superhydrophobic
  • Superhydrophilic
  • Superoleophobic
  • Superoleophilic
  • Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces

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Published Papers (13 papers)

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18 pages, 13408 KiB  
Article
Ibuprofen-Loaded Heparin Modified Thermosensitive Hydrogel for Inhibiting Excessive Inflammation and Promoting Wound Healing
by Abegaz Tizazu Andrgie, Haile Fentahun Darge, Tefera Worku Mekonnen, Yihenew Simegniew Birhan, Endiries Yibru Hanurry, Hsiao-Ying Chou, Chih-Feng Wang, Hsieh-Chih Tsai, Jen Ming Yang and Yen-Hsiang Chang
Polymers 2020, 12(11), 2619; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12112619 - 6 Nov 2020
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 5167
Abstract
Hydrogels have been investigated as ideal biomaterials for wound treatment owing to their ability to form a highly moist environment which accelerates cell migration and tissue regeneration for prompt wound healing. They can also be used as a drug carrier for local delivery, [...] Read more.
Hydrogels have been investigated as ideal biomaterials for wound treatment owing to their ability to form a highly moist environment which accelerates cell migration and tissue regeneration for prompt wound healing. They can also be used as a drug carrier for local delivery, and are able to activate immune cells to enhance wound healing. Here, we developed heparin-conjugated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), an injectable, in situ gel-forming polymer, and evaluated its use in wound healing. Ibuprofen was encapsulated into the hydrogel to help reduce pain and excessive inflammation during healing. In addition to in vitro studies, a BALB/c mice model was used to evaluate its effect on would healing and the secretion of inflammatory mediators. The in vitro assay confirmed that the ibuprofen released from the hydrogel dramatically reduced lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation by suppressing the production of NO, PGE2 and TNF-α in RAW264.7 macrophages. Moreover, an in vivo wound healing assay was conducted by applying hydrogels to wounds on the backs of mice. The results showed that the ibuprofen-loaded hydrogel improved healing relative to the phosphate buffered saline group. This study indicates that ibuprofen loaded in an injectable hydrogel is a promising candidate for wound healing therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wettabilities and Surface Properties of Polymer Materials)
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14 pages, 2995 KiB  
Article
Surface Properties, Free Volume, and Performance for Thin-Film Composite Pervaporation Membranes Fabricated through Interfacial Polymerization Involving Different Organic Solvents
by Micah Belle Marie Yap Ang, Shu-Hsien Huang, Shi-Wei Wei, Yu-Hsuan Chiao, Ruth R. Aquino, Wei-Song Hung, Hui-An Tsai, Kueir-Rarn Lee and Juin-Yih Lai
Polymers 2020, 12(10), 2326; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12102326 - 12 Oct 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4370
Abstract
The type of organic solvents used in interfacial polymerization affects the surface property, free volume, and separation performance of the thin-film composite (TFC) polyamide membrane. In this study, TFC polyamide membrane was fabricated through interfacial polymerization between diethylenetriamine (DETA) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC). [...] Read more.
The type of organic solvents used in interfacial polymerization affects the surface property, free volume, and separation performance of the thin-film composite (TFC) polyamide membrane. In this study, TFC polyamide membrane was fabricated through interfacial polymerization between diethylenetriamine (DETA) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC). Four types of organic solvent were explored in the preparation of pervaporation membrane. These are tetralin, toluene, hexane, and isopentane. The solubility parameter distance between organic solvents and DETA follows in increasing order: tetralin (17.07 MPa1/2) < toluene (17.31 MPa1/2) < hexane (19.86 MPa1/2) < isopentane (20.43 MPa1/2). Same trend was also observed between the organic solvents and DETA. The larger the solubility parameter distance, the denser and thicker the polyamide. Consequently, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) analysis revealed that TFCisopentane had the thickest polyamide layer. It also delivered the highest pervaporation efficiency (permeation flux = 860 ± 71 g m−2 h−1; water concentration in permeate = 99.2 ± 0.8 wt%; pervaporation separation index = 959,760) at dehydration of 90 wt% aqueous ethanol solution. Furthermore, TFCisopentane also exhibited a high separation efficiency in isopropanol and tert-butanol. Therefore, a suitable organic solvent in preparation of TFC membrane through interfacial polymerization enables high pervaporation efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wettabilities and Surface Properties of Polymer Materials)
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18 pages, 5398 KiB  
Article
Thermo-Tunable Pores and Antibiotic Gating Properties of Bovine Skin Gelatin Gels Prepared with Poly(n-isopropylacrylamide) Network
by Fang-Chang Tsai, Chih-Feng Huang, Chi-Jung Chang, Chien-Hsing Lu and Jem-Kun Chen
Polymers 2020, 12(9), 2156; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12092156 - 22 Sep 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2529
Abstract
Polystyrene nanospheres (PNs) were embedded in bovine skin gelatin gels with a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) network, which were denoted as NGHHs, to generate thermoresponsive behavior. When 265 nm PNs were exploited to generate the pores, bovine skin gelatin extended to completely occupy [...] Read more.
Polystyrene nanospheres (PNs) were embedded in bovine skin gelatin gels with a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) network, which were denoted as NGHHs, to generate thermoresponsive behavior. When 265 nm PNs were exploited to generate the pores, bovine skin gelatin extended to completely occupy the pores left by PNs below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST), forming a pore-less structure. Contrarily, above the LCST, the collapse of hydrogen bonding between bovine skin gelatin and PNIPAAm occurred, resulting in pores in the NGHH. The behavior of pore closing and opening below and above the LCST, respectively, indicates the excellent drug gating efficiency. Amoxicillin (AMX) was loaded into the NGHHs as smart antibiotic gating due to the pore closing and opening behavior. Accordingly, E. coli. and S. aureus were exploited to test the bacteria inhibition ratio (BIR) of the AMX-loaded NGHHs. BIRs of NGHH without pores were 48% to 46.7% at 25 and 37 °C, respectively, for E. coli during 12 h of incubation time. The BIRs of nanoporous NGHH could be enhanced from 61.5% to 90.4% providing a smart antibiotic gate of bovine skin gelatin gels against inflammation from infection or injury inflammation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wettabilities and Surface Properties of Polymer Materials)
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17 pages, 5507 KiB  
Article
Polymer/BiOBr-Modified Gauze as a Dual-Functional Membrane for Heavy Metal Removal and Photocatalytic Dye Decolorization
by Chi-Jung Chang, Pei-Yao Chao, Chen-Yi Chou, Ying-Jen Chen and Chih-Feng Huang
Polymers 2020, 12(9), 2082; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12092082 - 13 Sep 2020
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2629
Abstract
It is crucial to remove heavy metals and dyes before discharging industrial effluents. Gauze substrate was surface-modified by coating with a polymeric adsorbent and a spray coating of BiOBr photocatalyst to develop a novel dual-functional membrane, polymer/BiOBr-modified gauze, for water remediation. The polymeric [...] Read more.
It is crucial to remove heavy metals and dyes before discharging industrial effluents. Gauze substrate was surface-modified by coating with a polymeric adsorbent and a spray coating of BiOBr photocatalyst to develop a novel dual-functional membrane, polymer/BiOBr-modified gauze, for water remediation. The polymeric adsorbent was crosslinked to prevent the dissolving of the adsorbent during operation in contaminated water. The morphology and surface chemistry of the modified gauze were characterized before and after the adsorption of Ni2+. The surface wettability, isotherms, and kinetics of Ni2+ adsorption were studied. We also studied the effect of pH, initial Ni2+ concentration, monomer molar ratio, and monomer chemical structure on the Ni2+ adsorption capacity. To achieve a high Ni2+ adsorption capacity and good photocatalytic decolorization activity, the amount of decorated BiOBr was tuned by changing the spray-coating time to optimize the exposed BiOBr and polymer on the surface. The optimized dual-functional membrane PB20 possesses excellent adsorption capacity (650 mg g−1) for Ni2+ ions and photocatalytic decolorization activity (100% degradation of RhB within 7 min). Decorating the optimized amount of BiOBr on the surface can introduce photocatalytic decolorization activity without sacrificing the adsorption capacity for Ni2+. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wettabilities and Surface Properties of Polymer Materials)
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12 pages, 2813 KiB  
Article
Zwitterionic Polymer Brush Grafted on Polyvinylidene Difluoride Membrane Promoting Enhanced Ultrafiltration Performance with Augmented Antifouling Property
by Yu-Hsuan Chiao, Shu-Ting Chen, Mani Sivakumar, Micah Belle Marie Yap Ang, Tanmoy Patra, Jorge Almodovar, S. Ranil Wickramasinghe, Wei-Song Hung and Juin-Yih Lai
Polymers 2020, 12(6), 1303; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12061303 - 7 Jun 2020
Cited by 47 | Viewed by 5518
Abstract
Superhydrophilic zwitterions on the membrane surface have been widely exploited to improve antifouling properties. However, the problematic formation of a <20 nm zwitterionic layer on the hydrophilic surface remains a challenge in wastewater treatment. In this work, we focused on the energy consumption [...] Read more.
Superhydrophilic zwitterions on the membrane surface have been widely exploited to improve antifouling properties. However, the problematic formation of a <20 nm zwitterionic layer on the hydrophilic surface remains a challenge in wastewater treatment. In this work, we focused on the energy consumption and time control of polymerization and improved the strong hydrophilicity of the modified polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membrane. The sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA) monomer was treated with UV-light through polymerization on the PVDF membrane at a variable time interval of 30 to 300 s to grow a poly-SBMA (PSBMA) chain and improve the membrane hydrophilicity. We examined the physiochemical properties of as-prepared PVDF and PVDF–PSBMAx using numeric analytical tools. Then, the zwitterionic polymer with controlled performance was grafted onto the SBMA through UV-light treatment to improve its antifouling properties. The PVDF–PSBMA120s modified membrane exhibited a greater flux rate and indicated bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection performance. PVDF–PSBMA120s and unmodified PVDF membranes were examined for their antifouling performance using up to three cycles dynamic test using BSA as foulant. The PVDF-modified PSBMA polymer improved the antifouling properties in this experiment. Overall, the resulting membrane demonstrated an enhancement in the hydrophilicity and permeability of the membrane and simultaneously augmented its antifouling properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wettabilities and Surface Properties of Polymer Materials)
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11 pages, 1970 KiB  
Article
Plasma-Polymer-Fluorocarbon Thin Film Coated Nanostructured-Polyethylene Terephthalate Surface with Highly Durable Superhydrophobic and Antireflective Properties
by Eunmi Cho, Mac Kim, Jin-Seong Park and Sang-Jin Lee
Polymers 2020, 12(5), 1026; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12051026 - 1 May 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 7296
Abstract
Herein, an antireflection and superhydrophobic film was obtained by uniformly forming nanostructures on the surface of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate using oxygen plasma without a pattern mask and coating plasma-polymer-fluorocarbon (PPFC) on the nanostructured surface by mid-range frequency sputtering. PPFC/nanostructured-PET showed a reflectance [...] Read more.
Herein, an antireflection and superhydrophobic film was obtained by uniformly forming nanostructures on the surface of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate using oxygen plasma without a pattern mask and coating plasma-polymer-fluorocarbon (PPFC) on the nanostructured surface by mid-range frequency sputtering. PPFC/nanostructured-PET showed a reflectance of 4.2%, which is 56% lower than that of the PET film. Haze was also improved. Nanostructured-PET exhibited a superhydrophilic surface due to plasma deformation and a superhydrophobic surface could be realized by coating PPFC on the nanostructured surface. The PPFC coating prevented the aging of polymer film nanostructures and showed excellent durability in a high-temperature and high-humidity environment. It exhibited excellent flexibility to maintain the superhydrophobic surface, even at a mechanical bending radius of 1 mm, and could retain its properties even after repeated bending for 10,000 times. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wettabilities and Surface Properties of Polymer Materials)
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18 pages, 3447 KiB  
Article
Surface Studies of UV Irradiated Polypropylene Films Modified with Mineral Fillers Designed as Piezoelectric Materials
by Marta Chylińska, Halina Kaczmarek, Dariusz Moszyński, Bogusław Królikowski and Jolanta Kowalonek
Polymers 2020, 12(3), 562; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12030562 - 4 Mar 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4653
Abstract
Isotactic-polypropylene (i-PP) films with inorganic minerals such as Sillikolloid, perlite, or glass beads were prepared. The obtained polymeric films were subjected to an orientation process. Moreover, this paper includes results how the artificial accelerated weathering influences surface properties of the unoriented [...] Read more.
Isotactic-polypropylene (i-PP) films with inorganic minerals such as Sillikolloid, perlite, or glass beads were prepared. The obtained polymeric films were subjected to an orientation process. Moreover, this paper includes results how the artificial accelerated weathering influences surface properties of the unoriented and oriented i-PP films with the mineral fillers. Changes in the ultraviolet (UV) treated polymeric films were studied with attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and by measuring contact angles. The results revealed that photooxidation of i-PP was more effective in the presence of the fillers and depended on the type of the filler but not on its amount. Moreover, the oriented samples experienced more effective photooxidation compared with the unoriented ones. In all studied samples the same photoproducts were detected, suggesting the same route of polymer photooxidation with and without the filler. These polymeric films were produced for potential applications in the devices in which piezoelectric effect can be used. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wettabilities and Surface Properties of Polymer Materials)
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10 pages, 1997 KiB  
Article
Tuning the Wettability and Surface Free Energy of Poly(vinylphenol) Thin Films by Modulating Hydrogen-Bonding Interactions
by Chih-Feng Wang, Dula Daksa Ejeta, Jian-Yi Wu, Shiao-Wei Kuo, Ching-Hsuan Lin and Juin-Yih Lai
Polymers 2020, 12(3), 523; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12030523 - 1 Mar 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3643
Abstract
The ability to tune the surface properties of a polymer film in a simple and effective manner is important for diverse biological, industrial, and environmental applications. In this work, we investigated whether or not the surface free energy of poly(vinyl phenol; PVPh) can [...] Read more.
The ability to tune the surface properties of a polymer film in a simple and effective manner is important for diverse biological, industrial, and environmental applications. In this work, we investigated whether or not the surface free energy of poly(vinyl phenol; PVPh) can be tuned by adjusting the casting solvent and the thermal treatment time, which alters the proportions of intra-and intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. Compared to the untreated sample, in tetrahydrofuran (THF) system, the thermal treatment resulted in a lower proportion of intermolecular hydrogen bonds and a concomitant decrease in the surface free energy (from 39.3 to 18.8 mJ/m2). In contrast, the thermal treatment in propylene glycol methyl ether acetate (PGMEA) and ethyl-3-ethoxypropionate (EEP) systems increased the proportion of intermolecular hydrogen bonds and the surface free energy of the polymer thin films, from 45.0 to 54.3 mJ/m2 for PGMEA and from 45.5 to 52.9 mJ/m2 for EEP. Controlling intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions is a unique and easy method for tuning the surface free energies of polymer substances. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wettabilities and Surface Properties of Polymer Materials)
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15 pages, 3423 KiB  
Article
Zwitterion Co-Polymer PEI-SBMA Nanofiltration Membrane Modified by Fast Second Interfacial Polymerization
by Yu-Hsuan Chiao, Tanmoy Patra, Micah Belle Marie Yap Ang, Shu-Ting Chen, Jorge Almodovar, Xianghong Qian, S. Ranil Wickramasinghe, Wei-Song Hung, Shu-Hsien Huang, Yung Chang and Juin-Yih Lai
Polymers 2020, 12(2), 269; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12020269 - 27 Jan 2020
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 7298
Abstract
Nanofiltration membranes have evolved as a promising solution to tackle the clean water scarcity and wastewater treatment processes with their low energy requirement and environment friendly operating conditions. Thin film composite nanofiltration membranes with high permeability, and excellent antifouling and antibacterial properties are [...] Read more.
Nanofiltration membranes have evolved as a promising solution to tackle the clean water scarcity and wastewater treatment processes with their low energy requirement and environment friendly operating conditions. Thin film composite nanofiltration membranes with high permeability, and excellent antifouling and antibacterial properties are important component for wastewater treatment and clean drinking water production units. In the scope of this study, thin film composite nanofiltration membranes were fabricated using polyacrylonitrile (PAN) support and fast second interfacial polymerization modification methods by grafting polyethylene amine and zwitterionic sulfobutane methacrylate moieties. Chemical and physical alteration in structure of the membranes were characterized using methods like ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, XPS analysis, FESEM and AFM imaging. The effects of second interfacial polymerization to incorporate polyamide layer and ‘ion pair’ characteristics, in terms of water contact angle and surface charge analysis was investigated in correlation with nanofiltration performance. Furthermore, the membrane characteristics in terms of antifouling properties were evaluated using model protein foulants like bovine serum albumin and lysozyme. Antibacterial properties of the modified membranes were investigated using E. coli as model biofoulant. Overall, the effect of second interfacial polymerization without affecting the selectivity layer of nanofiltration membrane for their potential large-scale application was investigated in detail. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wettabilities and Surface Properties of Polymer Materials)
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14 pages, 3084 KiB  
Article
Facile Functionalization via Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition for the Effective Filtration of Oily Aerosol
by Sanghyun Roh, Sungmin Kim and Jooyoun Kim
Polymers 2019, 11(9), 1490; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11091490 - 12 Sep 2019
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3688
Abstract
With the growing concern about the health impacts associated with airborne particles, there is a pressing need to design an effective filter device. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of plasma-based surface modifications on static charges of electrospun filter [...] Read more.
With the growing concern about the health impacts associated with airborne particles, there is a pressing need to design an effective filter device. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of plasma-based surface modifications on static charges of electrospun filter media and their resulting filtration performance. Polystyrene (PS) electrospun web (ES) had inherent static charges of ~3.7 kV due to its electric field-driven process, displaying effective filtration performance. When oxygen species were created on the surface by the oxygen plasma process, static charges of electret media decreased, deteriorating the filter performance. When the web surface was fluorinated by the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), the filtration efficiency against oily aerosol significantly increased due to the combined effect of decreased wettability and strong static charges (~−3.9 kV). Solid particles on the charged media formed dendrites as particles were attracted to other layers of particles, building up a pressure drop. The PECVD process is suggested as a facile functionalization method for effective filter design, particularly for capturing oily aerosol. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wettabilities and Surface Properties of Polymer Materials)
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10 pages, 3320 KiB  
Article
Facile Fabrication of Durable Superhydrophobic Films from Carbon Nanotube/Main-Chain Type Polybenzoxazine Composites
by Chih-Feng Wang, Wen-Ning Wang, Ching-Hsuan Lin, Kuo-Jung Lee, Chien-Chieh Hu and Juin-Yih Lai
Polymers 2019, 11(7), 1183; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11071183 - 14 Jul 2019
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3064
Abstract
Superhydrophobic materials have immense applications in the fields of industry and research. However, their durability is still a cause for concern. A facile method for preparing durable superhydrophobic films from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and the main-chain type polybenzoxazine precursors is reported herein. We [...] Read more.
Superhydrophobic materials have immense applications in the fields of industry and research. However, their durability is still a cause for concern. A facile method for preparing durable superhydrophobic films from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and the main-chain type polybenzoxazine precursors is reported herein. We used probe ultrasonicator to prepare CNT/polybenzoxazine coatings. Compared with the general sonicating dispersion process, the dispersion time was greatly reduced from a few hours to 5 minutes and the prepared suspension exhibited film-forming characteristics well. The CNT/polybenzoxazine films, which do not contain any fluorinated compounds, exhibit remarkable durability against thermal treatment, organic solvents, corrosive liquids, and sandpaper abrasion, while retaining their superhydrophobicity. Furthermore, these CNT/polybenzoxazine films also showed durable superhydrophobicity after ultraviolet (UV) irradiation for 100 h. This CNT/polybenzoxazine film can be readily used for practical applications to make durable superhydrophobic coatings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Superwetting Polymeric Composites)
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15 pages, 4833 KiB  
Article
Facile Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Copper- Foam and Electrospinning Polystyrene Fiber for Combinational Oil–Water Separation
by Yu-Ping Zhang, Jing-Hua Yang, Ling-Li Li, Cheng-Xing Cui, Ying Li, Shan-Qin Liu, Xiao-Mao Zhou and Ling-Bo Qu
Polymers 2019, 11(1), 97; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11010097 - 8 Jan 2019
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 5768
Abstract
Membrane-based metal substrates with special surface wettability have been applied widely for oil/water separation. In this work, a series of copper foams with superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity were chemically etched using 10 mg mL−1 FeCl3/HCl solution with consequent ultrasonication, followed by the subsequent modification [...] Read more.
Membrane-based metal substrates with special surface wettability have been applied widely for oil/water separation. In this work, a series of copper foams with superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity were chemically etched using 10 mg mL−1 FeCl3/HCl solution with consequent ultrasonication, followed by the subsequent modification of four sulfhydryl compounds. A water contact angle of 158° and a sliding angle lower than 5° were achieved for the copper foam modified using 10 mM n-octadecanethiol solution in ethanol. In addition, the interaction mechanism was initially investigated, indicating the coordination between copper atoms with vacant orbital and sulfur atoms with lone pair electrons. In addition, the polymeric fibers were electrospun through the dissolution of polystyrene in a good solvent of chlorobenzene, and a nonsolvent of dimethyl sulfoxide. Oil absorption and collection over the water surface were carried out by the miniature boat made out of copper foam, a string bag of as-spun PS fibers with high oil absorption capacity, or the porous boat embedded with the as-spun fibers, respectively. The findings might provide a simple and practical combinational method for the solution of oil spill. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Superwetting Polymeric Composites)
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1 pages, 166 KiB  
Erratum
Erratum: Facile Functionalization via Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition for the Effective Filtration of Oily Aerosol. Polymers 2019, 11, 1490
by Sanghyun Roh, Sungmin Kim and Jooyoun Kim
Polymers 2020, 12(6), 1422; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12061422 - 25 Jun 2020
Viewed by 1603
Abstract
The authors wish to make a change to the published paper [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wettabilities and Surface Properties of Polymer Materials)
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