Influence of chemical structure of bile acid dispersants on electrophoretic deposition of poly(vinylidene fluoride) and composites

Abstract

A biomimetic strategy has been developed for the dispersion of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) particles using commercial analogs of bile acids (BAs), such as lithocholic acid (LCA), chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), deoxycholic acid (DCA), ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), and cholic acid (CA). BAs were used as anionic surfactants for electrophoretic deposition of PVDF films. The EPD method allowed controlled deposition of PVDF films at high deposition rates. The PVDF deposition yield, obtained using different BAs, increased in the order LCA<CDCA<DCA<UDCA<CA. It depends on the number of OH groups and their positions and orientations in the BAs structures. Annealed PVDF films provided corrosion protection of stainless steel in 3% NaCl solutions. CA was used as a co-surfactant for diamond, silica and PVDF particles and allowed for the deposition of PVDF-diamond and PVDF-silica films of varied compositions. The biomimetic approach developed in this investigation opens a new strategy for the chemical modification and charging of electrically neutral hydrophobic materials and deposition of functional polymers and composites by EPD from colloidal suspensions.