A simple approach to fabricate stable superhydrophobic glass surfaces

We present a facile method to fabricate superhydrophobic glass surface via one-step hydrothermal method and chemical modification. The etched glass surface shows the hierarchical textured morphology as well as the multiple scales of roughness and large numbers of nanorods and pores. The formation mechanism of the hierarchically structured surface is discussed in detail. After surface modification with vinyltriethoxysilane, the glass surface exhibits stable superhydrophobicity with a high contact angle of 155° and a low sliding angle of 5°. A water droplet of 10 μL can bounce away from the surface when it vertically hit the superhydrophobic glass surface. Moreover, the contact angle of the superhydrophobic glass surface under different pH values and storage time are measured to study the stability of the superhydrophobic property.

► Superhydrophobic glass surfaces were fabricated by a simple method. ► Hierarchical structure with nanorods and pores was constructed on the glass surface. ► The superhydrophobicity is stable under different pH values and storage time. ► This facile method may have extensive applications in self-cleaning glass.