Investigating the Superhydrophobic Behavior for Underwater Surfaces Using Impedance-Based Methods

Abstract

We have investigated the impedance behavior of immersed superhydrophobic (SH) polymethylene surfaces by tailoring the surface tension of the contacting liquid phase to gradually transition the surface from the Cassie to the Wenzel state. Control over the surface tension is accomplished by varying the ethanol content of the aqueous phase. To establish the mechanism of the transition, we imaged the interface of the film and identified three distinct events of this process: a nucleation event at low concentrations of ethanol in which small areas beneath the liquid phase transition into the Wenzel state, a propagation event characterized by the enlargement of the Wenzel domains and the lateral displacement of air, and a final event at higher concentrations of ethanol in which the thin air layer at the interface morphs into isolated pockets of air. Using this visualization of the transition, we characterized the Cassie and the Wenzel states by measuring the impedance at a frequency of 1 kHz for an initially SH film that changes its wetting behavior upon addition of ethanol. Establishment of the Cassie and Wenzel state conditions was based on concepts of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and quantitatively validated using both the Helmholtz theory and the analytical description of the electrochemical system in terms of the circuit model of a metal surface covered by a polymer film. Finally, we apply this strategy to determine the possibility for SH polymethylene (PM) films to reversibly transition between the Cassie and the Wenzel states. Results show that after rinsing and drying at ambient conditions for 24 h, the film recovers the SH state, suggesting the applicability of these SH films in outdoor environments with occasional periodic submersion in water.