Facile preparation of pliable superamphiphobic papers with high and durable liquid repellency for anti-corrosion and open surface microfluidics

Abstract

Flexible superamphiphobic surfaces show significant potential in anti-fouling, flexible electronics, droplet-based microfluidics, etc. However, there is a bottleneck in quickly generating pliable superamphiphobic surfaces with high liquid repellency and practicability. Here, a new method was proposed to create a superamphiphobic surface with high and durable liquid repellency by effortlessly one-step spraying the fluorinated TiO2 nanoparticles onto the polymer paper. Even 90 vol% ethanol solution could keep the Cassie state on the surface. The adhesion strengthening of the nanoparticles agglomerates on the paper’s wires generated excellent robustness for resisting underwater ultrasonic shock, resulting in a failure time 2000-times longer than the smooth substrate. No significant degeneration of the paper was observed after storing for 90 days, bending for 1000 cycles, or heating at 200 °C. Because of the attractive figurability, the paper could quickly fit on curved surfaces or internal walls. As a proof of concept, the superamphiphobic paper was successfully used for deformable anti-corrosion shelter and droplet-based analysis platform. This work opens a new avenue for accomplishing the long-sort task of efficiently fabricating flexible superamphiphobic surfaces with high comprehensive performances.