Flexible superhydrophobic surfaces with condensate microdrop self-propelling functionality based on carbon nanotube films.

Abstract

With the development of flexible electronics and wearable devices, there is strong demand for flexible, superhydrophobic, and multifunctional coatings. Motivated by the promise of attractive multifaceted functionality, various techniques have been developed to fabricate flexible surfaces with non-wetting properties. However, until now, there have been few reports on superhydrophobic surfaces with condensate microdrop self-propelling (CMDSP) functionality on a carbon nanotube film. Here, we used a facile electrodeposition method to develop for the first time a new type of flexible superhydrophobic surface with CMDSP functionality based on carbon nanotube films. These flexible CMDSP surfaces are robust after multiple cycles of bending of the film-coated substrate, i.e., without impacting the surface superhydrophobicity and CMDSP performance. The proposed light and flexible surface, combined with CMDSP, will support a novel generation of coatings that are multifunctional, flexible, smart, and energy saving. This new type of functional flexible interface not only opens new avenues in research into the fundamental structure–property relationships of materials, but also exhibits significant application potential for advanced technologies.