1. Fabrication of Polydimethylsiloxane films with special surface wettability by 3D printing.
- Author
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He, Zhoukun, Chen, Yanqiu, Yang, Jian, Tang, Changyu, Lv, Juan, Liu, Yu, Mei, Jun, Lau, Woon-ming, and Hui, David
- Subjects
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POLYDIMETHYLSILOXANE , *FABRICATION (Manufacturing) , *WETTING , *THREE-dimensional printing , *MICROSTRUCTURE , *ANISOTROPY - Abstract
Special wettability of biological surfaces usually depends on the unique micro-structures and surface chemistry natures. However, current preparation methods often involve complex processing steps or expensive moulds and have the limited ability to simulate these ordered and elaborate micro-structures. Herein, we report a facile and mould-free approach to fabricate special wetting surfaces by patterning an ordered porous structure with various geometric parameters via one-step 3D printing of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) ink. By adjusting pore structure at sub-millimeter scale, the printed PDMS porous films can present versatile special surface wettabilities such as superhydrophobicity and anisotropic wettability. With the guide of computer program, water contact angles (WCAs) along parallel and perpendicular directionsand anisotropy wetting degree of the printed film can be tailored by controllingprinting speed and filament spacing. Through optimizing the geometrical parameters, a superhydrophobic PDMS filmwith a WCA of about 155° is obtained, which mainly depends on the sub-millimeter scale structure. The superhydrophobicity of the printed porous PDMS film also exhibits excellent durability against thermal aging. Our work demonstrates that the printed superhydrophobic porous film can be used for some attracting applications such as air-breathable water-proofing, water-repellent floating carrier, and no-loss liquid transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
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