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Increasing demands for robust hydrophobic or hydrophilic surfaces in harsh conditions such as erosion, abrasion and high temperature, have stimulated the development of intrinsically hydrophobic or hydrophilic ceramics (or metals). Despite tremendous efforts, realizing robust highly hydrophobic or hydrophilic ceramics surfaces using a simple method remains a great challenge. In this letter, we report that HfN x -Ag films with two different existing forms of Ag: (1) Solute Ag and (II) Precipitate Ag, were deposited using co-sputtering system by setting deposition temperature at room temperature (RT) and 400 °C, respectively, further achieving highly hydrophobic (water contact angle (WCA) ∼ 120°) or hydrophilic (WCA ∼ 55°) surfaces by controlling the content of solute Ag or precipitate Ag. Solute Ag provides the hydrophobic Ag 2 O groups with coordinative saturation though surface self-oxidation, which inhibits hydrogen bonding with interfacial water molecules, whereas hydrophilic precipitate Ag acts as Lewis acid, which interacts strongly with water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The ZrN/SiNx double-layers with different density of SiNx layers, which was controlled by applying different substrate bias for depositing SiNx layers, were synthesized for investigating the interfacial electronic structure. Results indicated that the interfacial electrostatic polarization existed as the ZrN and SiNx bond with each other to form a heterojunction, since the electrons donated from ZrN layer to SiNx layer. Moreover, the degree of polarization was affected by the density of SiNx layer. The corresponding ZrN/SiNx multi-layers were deposited for studying the correlation between interfacial electronic structure and mechanical properties. The results of hardness test implied that the interfacial electrostatic polarization would enhance the hardness to a certain extent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]