Regensburg 2016 – scientific programme

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DY: Fachverband Dynamik und Statistische Physik

DY 56: Wetting, Nano- and Microfluidics II (joint session CPP/DY)

DY 56.3: Talk

Thursday, March 10, 2016, 15:30–15:45, H42

Bioinspired Nanofur as Superhydrophobic Transparent Coatings and Translucent Films for Optical Applications — •Felix Vüllers, Maryna Kavalenka, Matthias Worgull, and Hendrik Hölscher — Institute of Microstructure Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76344 Karslruhe, Germany

A combination of high optical transmission with self-cleaning, water-repellency and anti-icing is of high interest for various optical applications and boosted interest to transparent superhydrophobic surfaces. We demonstrate a highly scalable hot-pulling method to produce flexible superhydrophobic thin nanofur films made from polycarbonate, which can be used both as a transparent coating and a translucent film. The surface of thin nanofur films is covered with densely packed high aspect ratio nano- and microhairs which are fabricated using heated sandblasted steel plates, making complex and expensive mold fabrication unnecessary. The films exhibit high water contact angles (>170°), low sliding angles (<4°) and self-cleaning abilities. Through index matching the thin nanofur coating's reflection in the visible regime is reduced to less than 4%. The translucent film's transmission is more than 85% with high forward scattering. Applied to OLEDs these optical properties lead to an efficiency increase of more than 10%. By combining these exceptional optical properties with the water-repellent and self-cleaning properties of the thin nanofur film, the films are beneficial for further optical devices. In addition plasma treatment changes the film wettability to underwater superoleophobic enabling the use of thin nanofur films as underwater oil-repelling coatings.