Fabrication of ZnO submicrorod films with water repellency by surface etching and hydrophobic modification

Superhydrophobic ZnO submicrorod films have been fabricated on zinc sheets through an H2O2-assisted surface etching process and subsequent surface modification with a monolayer of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (FDS). The crystal structure, chemical compositions, morphologies, and wettability of the resultant ZnO films were analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and water contact angle measurements. It is found that the surface of the as-prepared ZnO films on zinc substrate was hydrophobic with a water contact angle of 95 ± 2°, whereas after modification with FDS, the film exhibited superhydrophobicity and the water CA increased to 154 ± 2°. It is shown that both the higher surface roughness and the lower surface free energy play an important role in creating the superhydrophobic films.