Janus property incorporated porous substrate was successfully fabricated in this work. One of the typical Janus properties, hydrophobic/hydrophilic functionality was obtained by depositing a fluoropolymer and its hydrolysis.  A fluoropolymer, poly(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,10-Heptadecafluorodecyl methacrylate) (PHFDMA) was deposited on various porous substrates such as polyester fabric, nylon mesh and filter paper. With a vapor-phase deposition process, termed as initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD), a conformal coating of hydrophobic PHFDMA polymer film was achieved on both faces of the porous substrate. In order to change the property of other side, the PHFDMA-coated substrates were floated on a KOH (aq) solution. The face of the PHFDMA-coated substrate in contact with the KOH solution became hydrophilic by the hydrolysis of the fluoroalkyl ester group in the PHFDMA to hydrophilic carboxylic acid functionality. While the hydrophilized face was able to easily absorb water showing contact angle of less than 37�, the top side of PHFDMA-coated substrate was unaffected by the exposure to KOH (aq) solution and remained hydrophobic. Similarly, the carboxylated surface was further functionalized with aminated polystyrene beads. The porous Janus substrates fabricated using this method can be applied to various kinds of daily clothing which are hard to utilize lamination process for Gore-tex.

Method to incorporate Janus property onto arbitrary porous substrates

248th National Meeting (2014)

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