We report on the use of hydrogel-like layer-by-layer (LbL) coatings to induce wettability transitions on planar and microstructured surfaces. A family of poly(2-alkylacrylic acids) (PaAAcs) with various hydrophobicity was synthesized by reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The polyacids were used to construct one-component LbL hydrogels. While pH-induced changes in the contact angle (CA) of hydrogel-modified planar substrates were moderate, sharp transitions in CA between 00 and 120-1300 occurred on microstructured surfaces as a function of polyacid type.  The use of PaAAc of different hydrophobicity, included individually, homogeneously mixed, or deposited at different depths within the film enabled further tuning of surface wettability.

Tuning surface wettability with layer-by-layer hydrogel coatings of polycarboxylic acids

245th National Meeting (2013)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.