High Contact Angle Research Articles

Control of the Wetting Ability of a Material by Local Vibration on the Interfacial Layer

The possibility of controlling the wetting ability of a material synthesized in the interfacial layer of a heterogeneous liquid/liquid system by local vibration has been shown. The influence of the nature of the organic acid, metal and solvent on the contact angle of the interfacial layer material adhering to various substrates was studied. It has been established that with local vibration, a material with a more ordered structure, with higher roughness and lower water content, and, as a consequence, with a higher contact angle, is synthesized. On the studied substrates, hydrophobic coatings with contact angles of 100–163° were obtained, which retained their water-repellent properties under atmospheric conditions for a long time.

Dynamic covalent bonds enabled robust and self-healing superhydrophobic coatings with multifunctions

Inspired by plants and animals in nature, durable superhydrophobic surfaces have been successfully developed in the past decades. However, the practical application of these superhydrophobic surfaces suffers from poor mechanical and chemical stability after damage or longtime usage. Thus, effective silicone-based polymers are developed to prepare the intelligent self-healing and durable superhydrophobic coatings with multifunctions. The superhydrophobic coatings are composed of dynamic silicone polymers and silica nanoparticles, which can be applicable in various substrates with enhanced water repellency. The abundant hydrogen bonds and reversible B-O covalent bonds in the dynamic silicone polymers enable a strong binding force with the substrate and self-healing nature. Thus, the superhydrophobic coatings exhibit a high contact angle up to 159.3°, and a low sliding angle of 6.9°. Meanwhile, it displays mechanical stability against washing and abrasion damage, and chemical stability in acid and alkaline environment. Especially, it is capable of repairing the superhydrophobicity after damage due to the reversible association/dissociation of dynamic B-O covalent bonds in silicone polymers. In addition, the superhydrophobic cotton fabric shows excellent anti-fouling, self-cleaning, antibacterial property, and can be applied in oil–water separation with high efficiency. This robust and versatile superhydrophobic coatings without containing perfluoro-compounds are promising in commercial textile fishing treatment with low cost.

Effect of Bio‐Based Plasticizers From Modified Vegetable Oils in a New Formulation of PVC Materials

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the performance of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plasticized with diisononyl phthalate (DINP), rapeseed oil epoxidized ester (ROE), and rapeseed oil carbonated ester (ROC). The formulations were evaluated for surface resistance, wettability, migration, mechanical properties, and resistance to aging and thermal degradation. PVC/ROC exhibited the highest surface resistance of 1.5 × 1016 Ω, indicating superior electrical insulation. Wettability tests showed PVC/ROE with the highest contact angle at 63°, while PVC/ROC and PVC/DINP demonstrated lower contact angles of 44° and 43°, respectively. Migration tests revealed that PVC/ROC had the lowest migration rates: 0.1% in distilled water and 1.5% in 95% ethanol. Mechanical testing under algae exposure demonstrated that PVC/ROC achieved the highest tensile strength of 43 MPa and a strain at break of 200%. After 1008 h of thermo‐oxidative aging, PVC/ROC retained superior tensile strength and hardness, while PVC/ROE showed a slight decrease. PVC/ROC also demonstrated improved thermal stability at 255°C compared with DINP (245°C). These results confirm that ROC is an effective bio‐based plasticizer, providing enhanced mechanical properties, reduced migration, and greater durability compared to conventional DINP, offering a sustainable alternative for diverse PVC applications in medical, automotive, and packaging industries.

Surface properties and biofilm formation on resins for subtractively and additively manufactured fixed dental prostheses aged in artificial saliva: Effect of material type and surface finishing

Statement of problemAdditive manufacturing (AM) and subtractive manufacturing (SM) have been widely used for fabricating resin-based fixed dental prostheses. However, studies on the effects of material type (AM or SM resin) and surface finishing (polishing or glazing) on the surface properties and biofilm formation are lacking. PurposeThe purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effects of material type and surface finishing on the surface roughness, wettability, protein adsorption, and microbial adhesion of the AM and SM resins marketed for fixed restorations under artificial saliva-aged conditions. Material and methodsDisk-shaped specimens (∅10×2 mm) were fabricated using 3 types of resins: AM composite resin with fillers (AMC), AM resin without fillers (AMU), and SM composite resin with fillers (SMC). Each resin group was divided into 2 subgroups based on surface finishing: polished (P) and glazed (G). Therefore, 3 polished surface groups (AMCP, AMUP, and SMCP) and 3 glazed surface groups (AMCG, AMUG, and SMCG) were prepared. Specimens were then categorized according to aging condition in artificial saliva. Surface roughness (Ra and Sa), contact angle, surface free energy (SFE), protein adsorption, and microbial adhesion were measured. The data were analyzed using a nonparametric factorial analysis of variances and post hoc tests with Bonferroni correction (α=.05). ResultsWhen nonaged, significant interactions between material type and surface finishing were detected for Ra, contact angle, SFE, protein adsorption, and microbial adhesion (P≤.008). AMCP showed higher Ra and microbial adhesion than AMUP and SMCP, and higher contact angle and protein adsorption than SMCP (P<.001). AMCG had lower SFE than AMUG (P=.005) and higher bacterial adhesion than SMCG (P<.001). AMC had higher Sa than AMU and SMC (P≤.006). When aged, significant interactions between material type and surface finishing were detected for Ra, Sa, protein adsorption, and microbial adhesion (P≤.026). The contact angle and SFE were significantly affected only by the material type (P≤.001), as AMC exhibited higher wettability than SMC (P≤.004). AMCP had higher Ra and microbial adhesion than AMUP and SMCP (P≤.003). AMCP had higher Sa and protein adsorption than SMCP (P≤.004). AMCG showed lower Ra and higher protein adsorption than AMUG (P≤.001). ConclusionsBoth material type and surface finishing significantly affected surface properties and biofilm formation. AMCP exhibited higher surface roughness, protein adsorption, and microbial adhesion compared with SMCP. Glazing may reduce the differences in surface-biofilm interactions between AMC and SMC.

In-situ thermally induced formation of an ultra-glossy hydrophilic surface for oil fouling prevention in TiO2@MXene membranes

Oil droplets are inevitably deposited on the surface of membranes, resulting in membrane contamination during oily sewage separation. To effectively prevent oil fouling, a TiO2@MXene membrane with an ultra-glossy hydrophilic surface was designed via in-situ thermal induction to regulate the membrane surface structure and properties. Through high temperature-induced evolving the Ti valence and the functional groups of Ti3C2Tx, uniform TiO2 nanoparticles were generated in-situ on the Ti3C2Tx surface while altering the surface structure and properties, which considerably improved the hydrophilicity, underwater oleophobic properties, and surface finish of the membrane. Specifically, the TiO2@MXene membrane (MT600) exhibited a low water contact angle of 7.5° and a high underwater oil contact angle of 133.3°. Notably, the oil adhesion force of the membrane was as low as 0.0013 μN, outperforming most oil water separation membranes. Thus, the unique structure and surface properties endowed MT600 membrane with excellent oil retention (TOC removal efficiency of > 95 %) and antipollution ability (permeance decay rates of < 10 %) for oil-in-water emulsion separation. This is because the ultra-glossy hydrophilic and oleophobic surface prompted the formation of a continuous and stable hydration layer on the membrane surface and prevented oil droplets from falling into the membrane grooves. Benefiting from the robust, ultra-glossy surface, the MT600 membrane exhibited excellent long-term durability and reusability (emulsion permeance recovery of > 90 %) in high-salt, highly acidic, and highly alkaline environments. This study opens pathways to realize ultra-glossy membrane surface for the efficient demulsification of small size emulsions and long-lasting, stable oil water separation.

Magnetically responsive superhydrophobic surface: Reversible switching for water repellency and active/passive anti-icing

This research aims to address the negative impact of global climate change on equipment stability, with a particular focus on the occurrence of icing on working surfaces at low temperature. To this end, we have developed a novel magnetically responsive superhydrophobic surface to enhance anti-icing properties and adapt to environmental changes. We prepared magnetically responsive micro-cilia arrays (MRMAs) with good flexibility and magnetostriction through a facile spray gun coating technique. By adjusting the application mode and distance of the magnetic field, three different morphologies can be achieved: vertical, curved and crossed, thus optimizing water repellency, active anti-icing and passive anti-icing performance. Experimental data show that vertical MRMAs exhibit extremely high contact angles and low droplet adhesion, which facilitates rapid water droplet removal, while curved MRMAs exhibit the lowest ice adhesion strength, which effectively reduces the likelihood of ice formation. In addition, the crossed MRMAs excelled in delaying icing, significantly prolonging the time before water droplets begin to freeze. This research not only provides a novel anti-icing strategy, but also offers new ideas for designing multifunctional surfaces that can adapt to complex environmental conditions.

Effect of temperature and capillary number on wettability and contact angle hysteresis of various materials. Modeling taking into account porosity

The effect of surface temperature and laser texturing on the wettability and contact angle hysteresis of Cu, Cu/G, AlMg3, Cu-SiC was considered. Modeling using molecular dynamics qualitatively confirms the experimental results: 1) an increase in the contact angle hysteresis on a textured surface; 2) influence of the surface wettability on contact angle hysteresis; 3) influence of the contact line velocity on contact angle hysteresis. Heating the sample of different composite materials can lead to either an increase in the contact angle or a decrease. It was shown that after laser texturing, a system of nano-micro pores was formed in the surface layer of the material, which leads to an abnormally high contact angle hysteresis on the Cu-SiC composite. A new model is proposed that explains the different qualitative behavior of the contact angle hysteresis in different studies with increasing capillary number (Ca), as well as with increasing sample temperature.

Robust air pocket stability of various liquids droplet on micro cavity structures

Surface texturing is carried out to realize a robust liquid-repellent surface, that is, a surface with a high contact angle for various liquids. Surfaces with an array of micropillars, microcavities, or a hierarchical structure composed of micropillars and microcavities were fabricated, and their wetting behaviors were evaluated. The microstructural arrays were fabricated on a flexible polymer substrate using ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography and contact angles of liquids with different surface tensions were measured and compared. Furthermore, the long-term liquid repellency of the developed surfaces was evaluated by measuring static and dynamic contact angles. The results revealed that the microcavity structure is suitable for preventing the wetting of the surface with low-surface-tension liquids, such as hexane and silicone oil. Unlike the pillar array, the microcavity structure prevented the wetting of the surface with such liquids.

Tuning wettability of graphene oxide surfaces by laser-induced reduction in liquid environment

Controlling surface wettability is a major technological challenge. In this work, we employ the laser scribing method to control the wettability of laser-reduced graphene oxide by using different liquid media. The measured contact angle can be tuned from 50° to 120°, driven by the thermal conductivity and the boiling point of the solvent. While the contact angle is slightly related to the oxygen content, we show that higher contact angle is related to a higher surface roughness of the surface. This is a fast and inexpensive method to produce surfaces with controlled wettability.

Comparison of Initial Stress and Displacement On Vertically Displaced Canines Using Conventional Bracket System and Self-Ligating Bracket System – A Finite Element Study

Aim: This study aimed to assess and compare the initial stress and displacement in vertically displaced canines using finite element analysis. Both conventional and self-ligating bracket systems were evaluated at displacement heights of 2, 4, and 6 mm. Methods: Six finite element models of maxillary dentitions with canines vertically displaced by 2, 4, and 6 mm were developed using specialized software. Continuous archwire techniques were applied in both the conventional system with 0.022" × 0.028" slot MBT brackets (3M Unitek™) and the self-ligating system with 0.022" × 0.028" slot passive self-ligating brackets (DAMON Q by ORMCO), both utilizing a 0.014-inch CuNiTi archwire. The study calculated canine displacement, reactionary effects on adjacent teeth (lateral incisors and first premolars), and compressive and tensile stresses along the X, Y, and Z axes at 12 specific points. Results: The self-ligating bracket system demonstrated greater extrusion of the canine compared to the conventional bracket system, with the most significant movement observed in the 2-mm model, followed by the 4-mm and 6-mm models. Reactionary effects on adjacent teeth included intrusion and tipping away from the canine, most pronounced in the 2-mm model. Compressive and tensile stresses were higher in the conventional bracket system and decreased with increased displacement. Conclusion: For vertically displaced canines, using a continuous archwire with a self-ligating bracket system is more advantageous than a conventional bracket system, as it results in greater canine movement and less stress on adjacent teeth. However, its effectiveness diminishes with increased displacement height due to resistance caused by higher contact angles and decreased wire expression.

Hydrophobic Modification of Halloysite Nanotubes Loaded with a Small Amount of Tungsten Oxide for Efficient Oxidative Desulfurization.

Transition metal oxides can be used as efficient multiphase catalysts in the field of catalysis. In this study, a hydrophobic halloysite nanotube (HNT) catalyst was designed and prepared with a low loading. Tungsten oxide was immobilized on the inner surface of the HNT, through electrostatic adsorption and calcination. Furthermore, a dual-functional W/HMT/M catalyst was prepared by hydrophobic modification of the outer surface of HNT through a harmless and nontoxic method. The catalyst was applied in the oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT), and characterized by inductively coupled plasma (ICP), contact angle tests, and other methods. Systematic characterization further confirmed that W/HNT/M has a low loading (0.48 wt %) and a relatively high contact angle of 92.6°. Oxidative desulfurization experiments demonstrated that the high contact angle corresponds to good hydrophobicity. The low loading and high activity of the catalyst enabled it to achieve a removal efficiency of 100% for DBT under conditions of 60 °C and an O/S = 4. The hydrophobic surface of HNT allowed better dispersion in the oil phase, while its hydrophilic inner cavity could adsorb H2O2 and the converted dibenzothiophene sulfoxide, thereby reducing the subsequent extraction steps after oxidative desulfurization and enhancing the reaction environment for reactants and active oxygen. W/HNT/M maintained high activity for at least 5 cycles. Additionally, the potential mechanism of the catalyst in the aqueous ODS reaction was proposed. This study demonstrates that HNT-supported metal oxides have desulfurization potential and provides ideas for improving ODS catalytic activity of the ODS through low loading, high activity, and unique hydrophobicity design.

Wood Surface-Embedding of Functional Monodisperse SiO2 Microspheres for Achieving Robust, Durable, Nature-Inspired, Programmable Superrepellent Interfaces.

Nature-inspired, robust, durable, liquid-repellent interfaces have attracted considerable interest in the field of wood biomimetic intelligence science and technology application. However, realizing green environmental protection and low maintenance and replacement cost wood surfaces constructed with micro/nanoarchitectures is not an easy task. Aiming at the problem of poor waterproof performance of wood, a silicon dioxide/polydimethylsiloxane (SiO2/PDMS) self-cleaning programmable superhydrophobic coating was biomimetically constructed on the wood substrate by surface-embedded dual-dipping design based on the "substrates + nanoparticles" hybrid principle of the lotus leaf effect. This robust, durable, nature-inspired, self-cleaning, programmable superhydrophobic coating was found to have no observable impact on the original color and texture of the natural wood. The SiO2/PDMS/wood prepared exhibited exceptional liquid repellency and a high static water contact angle (WCA) of 158.5° and a low slide angle (SA) of 10°, including everyday general-purpose droplets, indicating that the introduction of the monodisperse SiO2 microspheres can effectively enhance the superhydrophobic properties of the hydrophilic wood. We applied this strategy to a variety of substrates, including wood-cellulose aerogel and wood-cellulose paper, and demonstrated that the liquid-repellent nature of the self-cleaning superhydrophobic coating remained unchanged. Moreover, the superhydrophobic surface of SiO2/PDMS/wood was preserved even after harsh abrasion conditions, including mechanical damage (sandpaper, sharp steel blade, and tapes), thermal damage (UV irradiation and low/high-temperature exposure such as steaming and freezing), chemical damage, and solvent corrosion (immersion in acid, alkali), demonstrating robust stability of the superhydrophobic coating. Furthermore, the SiO2/PDMS programmable superhydrophobic coating exhibits exceptional exciting self-cleaning and stain-resistant properties, making it offer greater possibilities in terms of scientific challenges and real-world problem-solving at biomimetic smart superhydrophobic interfaces in wood.

Ceramic foam filters with concentrated carbon binder surfaces for copper melt filtration

In this study, the impact of coal tar pitch coatings on carbon-bonded alumina samples were investigated. The coal tar pitch coating had no effect on the bending strength of bar samples compared with an uncoated reference but a reduction of the median pore size was observed for samples coated with the coal tar pitch and coked 1x. Furthermore, differences in the measured contact angles were detected. The highest contact angles under low atmospheric pressure (<1.8 × 10−5 mbar) were measured for 2x coked coal tar pitch-coated (Carbores P) samples (152°). A liquid coal tar pitch coating (Carbores T10) showed the lowest contact angle at 126°.Strong gas bubbling during the sand-casting trial showed the formation of a gas resulting in large pores in the cast copper samples.The strong oxidation of the carbon at the surface of the filters is regarded as the reason for the gas formation, with the oxygen originating from both the air within the filter before priming, the sand mold around it and from the oxygen dissolved in the melt.

The preparation of fish scale gelatin-polydopamine photothermal sterilization film and its application for storage of cherry tomato

In this study, polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) were synthesized and fish scale gelatin (FSG) was extracted by hot water hydrolysis. The film for photothermal sterilization was created by casting FSG with the addition of PDA NPs. The results indicated that the PDA NPs were able to heat up to 46 °C in 5 min under near-infrared (NIR), demonstrating good photothermal conversion. The PDA NPs/FSG solution showed short-term bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with a bactericidal rate of more than 99 %. The PDA NPs/FSG film could warm up to 42.6 °C under NIR irradiation for 5 min. With the addition of 0.3 % of PDA NPs, the PDA NPs/FSG films showed high UV absorption, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging ability, and high water contact angle (WCA), improving the barrier to water and oxygen and the tensile strength. The 0.3 % PDA NPs/FSG film triggered by NIR effectively maintained the firmness, soluble solids content and appearance, and delayed the weight loss of cherry tomatoes. Thus, the PDA NPs/FSG films had good photothermal antimicrobial activity and could be used for extending the shelf life of cherry tomatoes.

Synthesis, characterization, and application of films made from highly substituted N-perfluoroacylated chitosan

Highly substituted perfluoroacylated chitosan can alter the physicochemical properties of chitosan; however, the currently synthesized perfluoroacylated chitosan has a low degree of substitution. In this study, we present a simple method for the homogeneous preparation of highly substituted N-perfluoroacylated chitosan, conducted at room temperature without requiring strict anhydrous or oxygen-free conditions. Various perfluorocarbon chains were successfully attached to chitosan through a reaction between perfluorinated acid esters and amines, catalyzed by DBU. The synthesized N-perfluoroacylated chitosan, with high degree of substitution, demonstrated excellent solubility in common organic solvents. Comprehensive characterization was performed using elemental analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance (including two-dimensional NMR), gel permeation chromatography, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermal analysis. The resulting films exhibited high water contact angles. Notably, as the fluorocarbon chain length increased, tensile strength gradually decreased, while elongation at break improved. Additionally, water uptake, water vapor transmission rate, and oxygen transmission rate all exhibited a declining trend. The films exhibited good biocompatibility, and in the grape preservation experiment, HFBC treatment effectively delayed grape aging and deterioration while enhancing quality preservation. These results suggest that HFBC film holds promising potential for food packaging applications.

Construction of a hydrophobicity, phosphorus‐ and nitrogen‐containing layered double hydroxides‐based synergistic effect flame retardant for poly (lactic acid)

AbstractIn this work, a synergistic effect strategy was explored for fabricating hydrophobicity, phosphorus‐ and nitrogen‐containing layered double hydroxides nanosheets (LDHs) based flame retardant (LDHs‐K@DM). This fabricating process was achieved by amination of the surface of LDHs and, subsequently, interfacial self‐assembly with high P content of diethylenetriaminpenta (methylene‐phosphonic acid) (DTPMP) and high N content of melamine (MEL). The chemical construction and thermal stabilization properties of LDHs‐K@DM were confirmed via different characterization approaches. The results revealed that LDHs‐K@DM was successfully prepared and the surface of LDHs‐K@DM was transformed into hydrophobicity with high water contact angle. Moreover, LDHs‐K@DM had better thermal stability. After that, LDHs‐K@DM was molten compounded with biobased polylactic acid (PLA). It was suggested that LDHs‐K@DM were uniformly dispersed in the PLA matrix and could accelerate the decomposition of PLA to form char residues. Most importantly, the addition of 20 wt% LDHs‐K@DM into PLA can endow the composite to achieve a desirable UL‐94 V‐0 rating and the limiting oxygen index value of 30.9%. Finally, the synergistic effect flame retardant mechanism of LDHs‐K@DM was comprehensively analyzed. This synergistic decorating strategy for preparing LDHs‐K@DM flame retardant is promising for industrial production.

Diatomaceous Earth‐Containing Linseed Oil‐Based Environmentally Friendly Hydrophobic Coatings

AbstractThe use of bio‐based building blocks for the synthesis of polymers is increasing day by day. Coatings prepared by modifying bio‐based building blocks such as linseed oil (LO) and diatomaceous earth (DE) are very promising. In this study, bio‐based hydrophobic coatings were prepared by cationic photopolymerization technique using epoxidized linseed oil (ELO) and dimer diamine‐modified diatomaceous earth. The bio‐based coatings with hydrophobic properties were prepared by using the spin coating method. ELO was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR). The thermal properties of the prepared coatings were determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The pendulum hardness, pencil hardness, and gel content of the prepared coatings were examined. Also, the hydrophobicity of the obtained bio‐based coatings was determined by contact angle measurements. The highest contact angle among the investigated compositions was found to be 110°.

Numerical study of proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer performance based on catalyst layer agglomerate model

In this work, a two-dimensional two-phase model of proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE) is developed, in which the catalyst layer (CL) is represented using agglomerate model. The effects of CL composition, porous transport layer (PTL) material properties and operating conditions on PEMWE performance are investigated. The results indicate that small size of catalyst agglomerate around 0.25 μm would benefit PEMWE performance. Appropriate increase of catalyst loading, porosity and ionomer volume fraction in the CL improves PEMWE performance, but their further increment leads to high mass transfer resistance, limiting the improvement of electrolyzer performance. The porosity and ionomer volume fraction of the catalyst layer are suggested to be lower than 0.5 and 0.6, respectively. The catalyst loading should be lower than 1.5 mg cm−2 when the CL porosity is higher than 0.3. The PTLs with high permeability, porosity and low contact angle is beneficial for the gas–liquid two-phase flow and avoiding the overheat and water shortage in the electrolyzer. Increasing the inlet velocity accelerates the bubble removal process, but might results in significant temperature drop, degrading the PEMWE performance. The most suitable temperature of inlet liquid is around 353.15 K. The results provide important guidance for the optimization design of high-performance PEMWE.

Enhancing durability and oil-water separation efficiency with plasma-treated graphene oxide coated mesh

In recent years, there has been a surge in interest surrounding the fabrication and utilization of superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic surfaces, driven by their exceptional functionalities and properties. Graphene Oxide (GO) has inherent hydrophilicity and underwater superoleophobicity, which has made this material a particularly capable candidate for oil-water separation. Addressing the persistent challenge of efficient oil-water separation in industrial contexts, this study presents the fabrication of a GO-coated stainless steel mesh via a facile dip coating method augmented by an intermediate two-step O2 plasma treatment. The coated meshes were tested with various oil and water mixtures, including neutral, acidic, saline, and hot water, to find separation efficiency and recyclability. Notably, the meshes can achieve excellent separation efficiency of approximately 98.9 % and a superior flux of 11,464 L m−2 h−1 driven by gravity. This is a significant improvement over GO-coated meshes without O2 plasma treatment. Moreover, the plasma-treated meshes exhibit robust long-term durability and chemical stability, maintaining high underwater oil contact angles ≥119° even after extended immersion in diverse pH mediums and salt solutions for 150 days. This work showcases the practical viability of plasma-treated GO-coated meshes for oil-water separation applications and establishes a framework for systematically evaluating their long-term performance in harsh immersion conditions.

Simple fabrication of breathable poly (vinylidene fluoride) fibrous membranes decorated by silica nanoparticles with enhanced waterproof property

In recent years, scientists have undertaken various preparation approaches to improve the waterproof and moisture permeability of fiber membranes, among which electrospinning has emerged as the simplest and most effective one. In this paper, poly (vinylidene fluoride)/silica (PVDF/SiO2) fibrous membranes were prepared by one-step electrospinning combined with heat treatment. The morphology, surface wettability, water resistance and moisture permeability of the fibrous membranes were also characterized. When the concentration of PVDF was 12 wt%, the nanofiber membranes exhibited the most uniform and optimal morphology. In addition, the fiber membranes not only exhibited a high water contact angle (WCA) (135.56°) and a small maximum pore size (dmax) (1.77 μm), but also demonstrated a large hydrostatic pressure (116.86 kPa) and a moderate water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) (3.53 kg m−2 d−1). The PVDF/SiO2 fibrous membranes with good waterproof and moisture permeability obtained in this work are expected to improve the comfort of protective textiles and expand the application range.