Nano-structured self-cleaning superhydrophobic glass

Superhydrophobic surfaces have received increasing attention because of their potential applications in cleantech applications such as maintaining highrise building window glasses and automobile glasses clean, consumer applications such as water-proof textiles, protective coating for telecommunication antennas, and other devices. Superhydrophobic surfaces have the self- cleaning effect, reducing the usage of energy and water required for cleaning, and minimizing pollution and waste caused by cleaning chemicals. This thesis investigates the preparation and properties of superhydrophobic glass surfaces and provides new means for fabricating these self -cleaning surfaces. In chapter 1, the basic properties related to superhydrophobic surfaces are reviewed. In chapter 2, the fabrication of Al₂O₃ nanowires having superhydrophobic characteristics is discussed. The nanowire topography in a vertically aligned configuration was constructed by altering the geometry of as fabricated anodized aluminum oxide pore structure through pore- widening. In chapter 3, superhydrophobic surfaces made from dry and wet etching processes were investigated. Glass nanopillar configurations with an extremely high contact angle ( ̃172o) were made by straightforward and economical process techniques. Optically transparent or translucent glass can be selectively made by adjusting the etching methods. In chapter 4, the morphology of diblock copolymer, polystyrene-block-poly (4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b- P4VP), is described. It is shown that gold nanoparticles embedded into a diblock copolymer selectively onto only P4VP blocks can be used as etching mask island arrays to fabricate Teflon nanopillar arrays having superhydrophobic characteristics. New techniques for creating superhydrophobic surfaces in this work could serve as useful guidance for self-cleaning surfaces, especially window or automobile glass application