Nature's self-cleaning properties of the lotus leaf are due impart to super hydrophobic properties created form its complex surface features and unique composition. Altering the wettability of a material is achievable by changing its surface energy based on composition and surface structure. A signficant technical needs exist for controlling the surface wetting properties for materials in biological, electronic, mechanical, and chemical systems.Wetting properties of solid polymers can be evaluated by the surface energy(SE), contact angle and interfacial surface tension(IFT) through using different testing solutions. Different methods and models ex. Fowkes' Equation can be used to calculate the SE. Moreover, sulfonate ion concentration or ion exchange capacity(IEC) is also a big factor affecting the hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity of different membranes like Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Nafion, Sulfonated-Diels-Alder Poly(phenylene) (SDAPP) and PentaBlock Copolymer (PBC).

Wetting complex surfaces of soft materials and the role of surface energy and testing solution for different polymers

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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