Assembly of Self-Assembled Monolayer-Coated Al₂O₃ on TiO₂ Thin Films for the Fabrication of Renewable Superhydrophobic−Superhydrophilic Structures

Abstract

A renewable superhydrophobic-superhydrophilic pattern with a minimum dimension of 50 microm is prepared from octadecyltrimethoxysilane self-assembled monolayer-covered superhydrophobic Al2O3 overlayers on a superhydrophilic TiO2 surface via self-assembly and calcination of boehmite (AlOOH.nH2O) particles. The resulting Al2O3 layer plays dual roles as a superhydrophobic layer and as a UV-blocking layer for the underlying TiO2.