Biomimetically Controlled Formation of Nanotextured Silica/Titania Films on Arbitrary Substrates and Their Tunable Surface Function

Abstract

Substrates with arbitrary shapes covered by a linear polyethyleneimine layer can effectively afford complexly nanotextured silica/titania thin films on their surfaces when the substrates are dipped into the source solutions at room temperature. The nanotextured thin films can be turned into superhydrophobic surfaces after they are treated with alkylsilane.