Polyethylene ultrahydrophobic surface: synthesis and original properties

¹ Laboratoire Polymères, Colloïdes et Interfaces, UMR 6120, Université du Maine, avenue Olivier Messiaen, 72085 Le Mans, France
² Laboratoire des Matériaux Polymères et des Biomatériaux, UMR CNRS 5627, Ingénierie des Matériaux Polymères, Université Claude Bernard – Lyon, ISTIL, 43 Bd. du 11 Nov. 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France

Corresponding author: Fabienne.poncin-epaillard@univ-lemans.fr

Received: 30 October 2003
Revised: 12 January 2004
Accepted: 12 March 2004
Published online: 11 May 2004

Abstract

The synthesis of low density polyethylene (LDPE) ultrahydrophobic surfaces with controlled roughness and transparency was described in a two steps O₂ and CF₄ plasmas treatment. Water contact angle as high as 171°, contact angle hysteresis less than 4°, and sliding angle as 4° were obtained on those surfaces. The surfaces with small roughness reached 85% of transparency between 400 nm and 800 nm of wavelength. Besides the dynamic dewetting experiments showed a particular behavior. While they were wet with water, the surfaces loosed their ultrahydrophobic properties. An explanation of this behavior was given according to both Wenzel and Cassie Baxter wetting states.