A Commercially Available Perfectly Hydrophobic Material (θA/θR = 180°/180°)

Abstract

We report contact angle studies of compressed samples of a commercially available lubricant (variable diameter submicrometer particles of tetrafluoroethylene oligomers) that indicate that this surface is perfectly hydrophobic (θ_A/θ_R = 180°/180°). We also report X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra, a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrograph, and ¹⁹F NMR characterization data, as it is a material for which no characterization data are available. These samples exhibit the most general lyophobicity of any material reported, showing nearly 180° contact angles with other liquids. That this material is commercially available (in kilogram quantities) will allow other groups, particularly nonsynthetic ones, to prepare and study perfectly hydrophobic surfaces. It should also have an impact on education: demonstration of superhydrophobicity in classrooms is trivial to do with this material.