Biomimetic, antireflective, superhydrophobic and oleophobic PMMA and PMMA-coated glass surfaces fabricated by plasma processing

• Use plasma nanotexturing to create “smart” surfaces with controlled properties.
• We study PMMA plate and PMMA film coated glass.
• Our technology: plasma nanotexturing combined with gas-phase silane monolayer deposition.
• Antireflective, superhydrophobic and superamphiphobic PMMA and glass after 150 s on plasma.

Plasma nanotexturing, i.e. plasma etching with simultaneous roughening in the nano to micron scale, is used to create roughness on PMMA plates or glass slides coated with PMMA films. Mimicking nature, we use this roughness to create “smart” surfaces, with controlled optical and wetting properties. We present results that show combined antireflectivity, superhydrophobicity and superamphiphobicity for optimal plasma treatment time of only one-side of the samples (better results are expected for two-side treatment). In particular, using only 1.5 min of plasma nanotexturing and etching of PMMA in oxygen plasma, followed by vacuum deposition of a perfluorinated self-assembled monolayer, a reduction of reflectivity by 30% (compared to its initial value), superhydrophobicity and superamphiphobicity were achieved for liquids with surface tension more than 50 mN/m.

Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide