Self-similar arrays of carbon nanotubes and nonwoven fibers with tunable surface wettability

Self-similar materials can assist in the transition of hydrophobic to hydrophilic state in a well-controlled manner. Herein, we report an ensemble of carboxylic functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) decorated on the self-similar nonwoven surface using a facile, scalable and inexpensive vacuum filtration process for tunable surface wettability. Increasing the amount of CNTs combined with the vacuum assisted nonwoven material reduced the apparent equilibrium contact angle systematically. A simple analytical model has been proposed to predict the apparent equilibrium contact angle by formulating a direct relationship with the structural parameters of CNTs and nonwoven materials. In general, a satisfactory agreement was observed between the theoretical and experimental apparent equilibrium contact angles of CNT decorated nonwoven materials.