A nanosegregant approach to superwettable and water-attracting surfaces

Abstract

A simple and economical approach to the preparation of superhydrophilic and water-capturing surfaces is reported. In this method, a common polymer aqueous blend is drop-cast onto a substrate, and the natural drying of the aqueous drop allows for the formation of phasesegregated nanosegregants between the bulk film and substrate surface. The nanosegregant is then exposed by dissolving the bulk filmusing water. The nanosegregant is stable, water-insoluble and optically transparent, and exhibits superhydrophilicity with a minimum contact angle below 108. It also displays strongwater-attracting ability. The mechanismof superwettability and water-capturing behavior is discussed in terms of the self-organization and functional group of the nanosegregant. © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.