Fabrication of a lotus-like micro–nanoscale binary structured surface and wettability modulation from superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic

Abstract

We report a simple method for fabricating a lotus-like micro-nanoscale binary structured surface of copper phosphate dihydrate. The copper phosphate dihydrate nanosheets were generated by galvanic cell corrosion of a copper foil with aqueous phosphorus acid solution drops and dried in an oxygen gas atmosphere, and they self-organized into a film with a lotus-like micro-nanoscale binary structured surface. The wettability of this surface can be changed from superhydrophilic to highly hydrophobic or superhydrophobic by heating or modifying it with an n-dodecanethiol monolayer.