Abstract
We show that nanoporous anodic alumina films, with pore diameters in the range 10–80 nm,can be transformed from being very hydrophilic (or super-hydrophilic) to veryhydrophobic (or super-hydrophobic) by coating the surface with a thin (2–3 nm) layer ofa hydrophobic polymer. This dramatic transformation happens as a result ofthe interplay between surface morphology and surface chemistry. The coatedsurfaces exhibit ‘sticky’ hydrophobicity as a result of ingress of water into the poresby capillary action. The wetting parameters (contact angle and contact anglehysteresis) exhibit qualitatively different dependences on pore diameters in coated anduncoated films, which are explained by invoking appropriate models for wetting.
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