Preparation of a Superhydrophobic Carbon Dilm by a Novel Vapor Phase Transport Process

Abstract

Extreme water repellency is greatly desired for anticontamination and self-cleaning applications in new building walling materials. A superhydrophobic carbon film was fabricated on the pure nickel substrates by a novel vapor phase transport method. The surface of morphologies of the pure nickel surface was characterized using a non-contact mode of atomic force microscope (AFM) and the structural properties of as-grown carbon film was characterized using scanning electron micrograph (SEM). The contact angles and the rolling angles on such films were measured through an optical contact angle meter. Wettability studies revealed the films exhibited a superhydrophobic behaviour with a higher contact angle of 160.7°±2.1° and lower rolling angle of less than 4°-a water droplet moved easily on the surface. SEM showed that compared with pure smooth nickel surface, a lotus-like structrure with micro-nano hierarchical papillae was obviously observed on the superhydrobic carbon film surface. Such a speccial surface microstructure may result in the superhydrophobicity.