Making sponge breathe: A smart way to realize long durability superhydrophobicity

• Superhydrophobic sponge is prepared by grafting the hydrophobic moiety.
• Global sponge superhydrophobicity can be theoretically interpreted.
• Aeration can elongate superhydrophobicity durability in underwater environment.

The air dissolution, together with vapor condensation, leads to short sustainability of superhydrophobicity, which turns out as a critical problem for the practical application in underwater environment. In this study, using sponge based superhydrophobic material as the prototype, we have tried to realize the long sustainable superhydrophobicity via an aeration strategy. To verify this protocol, firstly, the superhydrophobic sponge was obtained by grafting the hydrophobic moiety onto the backbone surface. Secondly, by connecting the partially immersed superhydrophobic sponge with the external atmosphere, the infinite air supply is achieved. Using air to flow in and out of the superhydrophobic matrix, vapor from the neighbor bulk water phase is carried out, so that water condensation is avoided. This leads to a long sustainability of the superhydrophobicity.

By aeration, sponge superhydrophobicity can have a long sustainability in underwater environment.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide