Study on preparation and forming mechanism of super-hydrophobic surface by perfluoroalkyl ethyl acrylate copolymers

The super-hydrophobic copolymer films of perfluoroalkyl ethyl acrylate (FAEA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) were prepared by evaporating solvent of 1,1,2-trifluoro-trichloro-ethane (F113). The surface morphologies and hydrophobicity of as-prepared films were greatly determined by the copolymer structure and the molecular weight as well as the casting conditions. As increasing the proportion of FAEA in the copolymer, the films surface became smoother. The random copolymers were inclined to form rougher surfaces than the block copolymers. Moreover, the copolymers with higher molecular weight or as cast at higher temperature will benefit to achieve films with harsh surfaces. Forming mechanism as well as affecting factors of the super-hydrophobic films was also proposed and discussed in this paper.