One-step chemical vapor deposition and modification of silica nanoparticles at the lowest possible temperature and superhydrophobic surface fabrication

• Gas phase generation and modification of silica nanoparticles.
• One-step preparation of superhydrophobic surface.
• Simple coating of different substrate with complex geometry.

Bio-inspired superhydrophobic coating, having a high water contact angle (>160°) and low sliding angle (<5°), were prepared by a novel one-step chemical vapor deposition and modification method using TEOS, vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) as the surface modifying molecule and ammonia. All gas phase silica generations, modification and deposition allow complex geometries substrates coating in a single step while they are not accessible in some other methods. Moreover, low reaction temperature facilitates the use of temperature sensitive substrates and one-step procedure reduces reaction time and cost.Results showed that 40 °C is the lowest film formation temperature and the modifier silane, when used in one-step method, can reduce the size of the silica nanoparticles. Particles were characterized by FTIR and TEM and surface properties of silica deposited film was also characterized by AFM and water contact angle.