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Wettability studies of layer-by-layer films of Nafion/ Polyethylenemine/SiO2 nanoparticles

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Abstract

Biological systems with special wettability have attracted significant interest as superwetting surfaces. Recently, there has been a growing interest in unusual oleophobic/hydrophilic surfaces that exhibit high oil contact angle (OCA) and low water contact angle (WCA). Although these surfaces demonstrate potential applications in water/oil separation, detergent-free cleaning, and oil-repellent anti-fogging, their fabrication is challenging because of the lower surface tension of oil than that of water. In this study, we prepared layer-by-layer (LbL) films consist of Nafion (NAF), branched polyethyleneimine (PEI), and SiO2 nanoparticles, and studied the effect of the LbL assembly condition on film growth and water/oil wettability. Typical WCA and OCA values of NAF/PEI film were ~128° and ~21°, respectively. The WCA and OCA changed as the SiO2 nanoparticles were added and the films were treated with perfluorooctane sulfonate. When the WCA and OCA difference was the smallest, the WCA and OCA values of the NAF/PEI/ SiO2 film were 121° and 91°, respectively. Furthermore, we prepared two-layer LbL films by coating NAF/PEI/SiO2 films onto porous LbL films. As the PFOS-terminated NAF/PEI/SiO2 film were deposited, the WCA decreased from 119 to 78°, and the OCA was fairly constant at 108°, showing a reversal of the WCA and OCA values. We expect that this study will provide a better understanding of the fabrication of LbL-assembled oleophobic/hydrophilic surface.

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  1. Polymeric Materials Engineering Major, Dong-eui University, Busan, 47340, Korea

    Choonghyun Sung

  2. Innovation Materials Research Group, Korea Institute of Footwear & Leather Technology, Busan, 47145, Korea

    Minhyuk Kang

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Sung, C., Kang, M. Wettability studies of layer-by-layer films of Nafion/ Polyethylenemine/SiO2 nanoparticles. J Polym Res 30, 323 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-023-03719-1

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