A Single-Step Route to Robust and Fluorine-Free Superhydrophobic Coatings via Aerosol-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition

Robust fluorine-free superhydrophobic films were produced from a mixture of two fatty acids (stearic acid and palmitic acid), SiO2 nanoparticles, and polydimethylsiloxane. These simple and nontoxic compounds were deposited via aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition to provide the rough topography required for superhydrophobicity, formed through island growth of the aggregates. The optimum conditions for well-adhered superhydrophobic films produced films with a highly textured morphology, which possessed a water contact angle of 162 ± 2° and a sliding angle of <5°. Superhydrophobicity was maintained after ultraviolet exposure (14 days at 365 nm), heat treatment (5 h at 300 °C and 5 h at 400 °C), 300 tape peel cycles, and exposure to ethanol and toluene (5 h each).