One-Step Eco-Friendly Superhydrophobic Coating Method Using Polydimethylsiloxane and Ammonium Bicarbonate

Superhydrophobic surfaces offer numerous advantages and have become popular in a wide range of fields. Although many approaches for the modification of surface wettability have been developed, the practical application of superhydrophobic surfaces has been limited by the need for toxic materials and specialized equipment. Herein, a one-step coating method is developed for the fabrication of a superhydrophobic surface to eliminate these limitations. This environmentally friendly coating process uses only two reagents, namely, polydimethylsiloxane and ammonium bicarbonate, to minimize the inconvenience and costs associated with the disposal of used toxic materials. The superhydrophobic surface exhibits excellent durability, and the method is applicable to a variety of target surface shapes, including three-dimensional and complex structures. Besides, a wettability patterned surface and a functional filter for oil/water separation can be fabricated using this method. The numerous advantages of this approach demonstrate great practical application potential of these superhydrophobic surfaces.