Robust raspberry-like all-polymer particles for the construction of superhydrophobic surface with high water adhesive force

Abstract

In this work, we present a simplified versatile approach to synthesize monodisperse and robust entirely polymeric raspberry-like particles (RPs) via an in situ seeded polymerization method. The RPs with dual-scale hierarchical structure were prepared by absorption of monomer styrene, cross-linkable monomer ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDGMA) and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) initiator into hollow P(styrene–divinylbenzene-trifluoroethyl methacrylate) [P(S-DVB-TFEMA)] nanoreactors, and then massive corona polymeric P(S-EDGMA) particles were in situ grafted onto the core hollow P(S-DVB-TFEMA) from the inside out, obtaining the robust all-polymer P(S-DVB-TFEMA)@P(S-EDGMA) RPs. The prepared RPs possess excellent mechanical and chemical stability toward long-term ultrasonic and acid/base treatment. Without post-modifications, the particulate film assembled by the RPs exhibited the static contact angle of 154° and high adhesion to water droplets. Theoretical model of the RPs and theoretical analysis, which corresponded well to experimental data, further reveal the high adhesive phenomenon. More importantly, the prepared sticky superhydrophobic surface colored by fluorescent dye can be utilized as “a mechanical hand” for micro-droplet transportation with high visibility in UV dark chamber. Thus, we anticipate that the sticky superhydrophobic surface constructed by the robust all-polymer RPs will offer great potential applications in micro-droplet manipulation and biological detection.