Novel wettability of Cu3SnS4 (CTS) surface for superamphiphilic or hydrophobicity-superlipophilic

Novel surface wettability of superamphiphilic or hydrophobicity-superlipophilic has been firstly realized on I-IV-VI p-type ternary Cu3SnS4 (CTS) thin films, which were deposited on glass substrates by simple spin-coating method using nontoxic chemicals. The surface wettability varied with the annealing temperature, and showed superamphiphilic with contact angle of <1° under 500 °C treatment. Being modified with stearic acid, the surface turned hydrophobicity (contact angle of 109±2°) but superlipophilicity (contact angle of <1°), which means a change of surface wettability, and the surface can recover to its initial superamphiphilic state once remove the modification. The surface wettability could be mainly ascribed to character of material and surface microstructure. Such surface wettability of CTS is promising in designing new technologies to novel applications in moisture or in dusty environment, and can also be expected in assisting water-oil separation in future researches.