Photoinduced underwater superoleophobicity of TiO2 thin films

Langmuir. 2013 Jun 11;29(23):6784-9. doi: 10.1021/la401382g. Epub 2013 May 28.

Abstract

The photoinduced wettabilities of water, n-hexadecane, dodecane, and n-heptane on a flat TiO2 surface prepared by a sol-gel method-based coating were investigated. An amphiphilic surface produced by UV irradiation exhibited underwater superoleophobicity with an extremely high static oil contact angle (CA) of over 160°. The TiO2 surface almost completely repelled the oil droplet in water. A robust TiO2 surface with no fragile nanomicrostructure was fabricated on a Ti mesh with a pore size of approximately 150 μm. The fabricated mesh was found to be applicable as an oil/water separation filter.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkanes / chemistry*
  • Heptanes / chemistry*
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Particle Size
  • Photochemical Processes
  • Plant Oils / chemistry*
  • Surface Properties
  • Titanium / chemistry*
  • Water / chemistry*
  • Wettability

Substances

  • Alkanes
  • Heptanes
  • Plant Oils
  • Water
  • n-dodecane
  • titanium dioxide
  • n-heptane
  • Titanium
  • n-hexadecane