Rose petal patterns with “Lotus Effect”, corrosion resistance and photocatalytic bacterial inactivation

Abstract

The study proposes a simple method that can easily transform the surface from the “rose petal effect” to the “lotus effect” and impart superhydrophobic and photocatalytic properties. The approach involves integrating hydrophobic TiO2 nanoparticles into a polystyrene (PS) matrix, employing a soft imprinting process to create intricate rose petal patterns. SEM and TEM images demonstrate the uniform distribution of TiO2 nanoparticles across the coated surface, providing roughness and elevating the static water contact angle to 163°, while reducing the hysteresis angle to below 5°. This approach effortlessly transitions the surface from the rose petal effect to the lotus effect. Furthermore, the highly superhydrophobic PS/TiO2 pattern coating demonstrates excellent corrosion resistance, with up to 99.98 % efficiency in Tafel experiments. Additionally, the PS/TiO2 pattern coating exhibits photocatalytic properties, effectively decomposing methylene blue and bacteria (S. aureus and E. coli). Through the integration of nanoparticles, this method not only enables precise control of surface properties, but also brings new applications to coatings.