Facile fabrication of robust epoxy resin monolithic superhydrophobic materials with excellent mechanical-chemical stability, biocompatibility and photothermal conversion capacity

Abstract

Improving the durability of superhydrophobic materials is the key factor to promote their practical application. Here, a facile one-pot synthesis procedure is used to prepare epoxy resin monolithic superhydrophobic materials (ER-MSM) with excellent mechanical strength, chemical stability, oil-water separation, stain liquids repellency, biocompatibility and excellent photothermal conversion capacity. The mechanical strength and hydrophobic durability of ER-MSM are improved by synchronously processes of bubbles impact, high temperature curing and chemical bonding of epoxy resin to form micropores. The prepared monolithic material can maintain water repellency even after sandpaper abrasion, ultrasonication, multiple knife scratch, finger wiping, and exposure to UV irradiation and high-temperature calcination. The biocompatibility of ER-MSM was further proved by the 95 % cell viability of the PC12 cells after contacting with ER-MSM for 70 min. ER-MSM has excellent photothermal conversion ability by dopamine coreaction in the one-pot synthesis procedure (named as PER-MSM). The photothermal conversion capacity of PER-MSM can be regulated by adjusting the concentration of dopamine. The surface temperature easily exceeds 70 °C after 808 nm laser irradiating for 200 s under power density of 1 W/cm2 and dopamine concentration larger than 10 mg/mL or under power density of 2 W/cm2 and dopamine concentration larger than 2 mg/mL. The alcohol-based reaction system without complex fabrication steps, expensive, or toxic fluoride, satisfies the environment-friendly requirements. Therefore, the prepared mechanochemically stable and photothermal superhydrophobic materials have great potential applications in oil-water separation, self-cleaning and other industrial fields.