Stimuli‐Responsive Surfaces for Tunable and Reversible Control of Wettability

Abstract

Surfaces with controllable wettability can be fabricated by embedding superhydrophobic particles into stimuli-responsive hydrogels. When the hydrogel changes its size due to a specific stimulus, the wettability of the surface can be reversibly tuned from superhydrophobic to superhydrophilic. This general method is used to fabricate "smart" membranes for controlling the permeability of chemicals under the influence of multiple stimuli simultaneously.