Facile fabrication of superhydrophobic raspberry‐like SIO₂/polystyrene composite particles

Abstract

Abstract A facile and novel strategy was reported on the fabrication of raspberry‐like SiO 2 /polystyrene (SiO 2 /PS) composite particles by emulsion polymerization in the presence of vinyl‐functionalized silica (vinyl‐SiO 2 ) particles, which were prepared via a one‐step sol–gel process using vinyltriethoxysilane as the precursor. The submicron vinyl‐SiO 2 particles were used as the core, and nanosized PS particles were then adsorbed onto the vinyl‐SiO 2 particles to form raspberry‐like composite particles during the polymerization process. The composition, morphology, and structure of the vinyl‐SiO 2 particles and the SiO 2 /PS hybrid particles were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Superhydrophobic surface can be constructed by directly depositing the raspberry‐like SiO 2 /PS composite particles on glass substrate, and the water contact angle can be adjusted by the styrene/SiO 2 weight ratio. In addition, the superhydrophobic film possessed a strong adhesive force to pin water droplet on the surface even when the film was turned upside down. POLYM. COMPOS., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers