Super-hydrophobic surfaces, methods of their construction and uses therefor

• US 7,985,475 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ONED Material Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nanosys Incorporated (Shoei Electronic Materials, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dubrow, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray; Jill
• Application Number:
  US10/833,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20050181195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,646 Days
• Field of Search: 977/734, 977/742, 977/762, 977/778, 977/783, 977/810, 977/811, 977/902
• US Class Current: 428/359
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/185 applying monomolecular layers B05D1/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/08 to obtain an anti-friction or anti-adhesive surface rendering particulate materials free-flowing in general, e.g. making them hydrophobic B01J2/30
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/083 involving the use of fluoropolymers
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/03 characterised by features other than the chemical nature of the binder
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/71 Paint detackifiers or coagulants, e.g. for the treatment of oversprays in paint spraying installations chemical paint removers C09D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/762 Nanowire or quantum wire, i.e. axially elongated structure having two dimensions of 100 nm or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/773 Nanoparticle, i.e. structure having three dimensions of 100 nm or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/778 within specified host or matrix material, e.g. nanocomposite films
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/783 Organic host/matrix, e.g. lipid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/832 having specified property, e.g. lattice-constant, thermal expansion coefficient
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24994 Fiber embedded in or on the surface of a polymeric matrix
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249947 Polymeric fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/29 Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand, strand portion, rod, filament, macroscopic fiber or mass thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2904 Staple length fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2933 Coated or with bond, impregnation or core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/294 including metal or compound thereof [excluding glass, ceramic and asbestos]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2958 Metal or metal compound in coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2962 Silane, silicone or siloxane in coating

Abstract

This invention provides novel super-liquidphobic nanofibers and structures comprising such nanofibers, as well as methods and uses for such nanofibers.

Claims

1. A super-liquidphobic substrate comprising:

at least a first surface; and

, a plurality of nanofibers grown on said first surface, the nanofibers comprising a non-carbon material and having an exposed external surface and a first end which is attached to the first surface and a second, free end which is unattached to the first surface and extends from the first surface, which plurality of nanofibers comprises a coating of one or more exogenous liquidphobic material deposited on the exposed external surface of the nanofibers which coating extends over the length of the nanofibers from the first end to the second end thereof.

2. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise silicon.

3. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise solid nanofibers.

4. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise crystalline nanofibers.

5. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise a surface density of from about 1 nanofiber per 10 micron² to about 200 nanofibers per micron².

6. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise a surface density of from about 10 nanofiber per micron² to about 100 nanofibers per micron².

7. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise a surface density of from about 25 nanofiber per micron² to about 75 nanofibers per micron².

8. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise a percent coverage of the first surface of from about 0.01% to about 50%.

9. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise a percent coverage of the first surface of from about 0.5% to about 30%.

10. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise a percent coverage of the first surface of from about 5% to about 15%.

11. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise a percent coverage of the first surface of about 1%.

12. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise a length of from about 1 micron to about 200 microns.

13. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise a length of from about 10 microns to about 125 microns.

14. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise a length of from about 1 micron to about 50 microns.

15. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise a diameter of from about 5 nanometers to about 1 micron.

16. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise a diameter of from about 40 nm to about 200 nm.

17. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise a diameter of from about 75 nm to about 100 nm.

18. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers have an aspect ratio of from approximately 2:

1 to about 40;

1.

19. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers have an aspect ratio of from approximately 5:

1 to about 30;

1.

20. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers have an aspect ratio of from approximately 10:

1 to about 20;

1.

21. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the surface comprises silicon, glass, a transparent substrate, a semi-transparent substrate, a translucent substrate, quartz, plastic, metal, polymers, TiO, ZnO, ZnS, ZnSe, ZnTe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, HgS, HgSe, HgTe, MgS, MgSe, MgTe, CaS, CaSe, CaTe, SrS, SrSe, SrTe, BaS, BaSe, BaTe, GaN, GaP, GaAs, GaSb, InN, InP, InAs, InSb, PbS, PbSe, PbTe, AlS, AlP, AlSb, SiO1, SiO2, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyetherketone, polyimide, an aromatic polymer, or an aliphatic polymer.

22. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the exogenous material comprises one or more of a hydrophobic material, a lipophobic material, or an amphiphobic material.

23. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the exogenous material comprises one or more material selected from the group consisting of:

a fluoride containing compound, a silane containing compound, PTFE, an aliphatic hydrocarbon containing molecule, an aromatic hydrocarbon containing molecule, and paralyene.

24. The substrate of claim 1, wherein a liquid drop on the substrate displays a contact angle from at least about 160°

to about 179.5°

.

25. The substrate of claim 1, wherein a liquid drop on the substrate displays a contact angle from at least about 170°

to about 179.5°

.

26. The substrate of claim 1, wherein a liquid drop on the substrate displays a contact angle from at least about 175°

to about 179.5°

.

27. The substrate of claim 1, wherein a liquid drop on the substrate displays a contact angle from at least about 178°

to about 179.5°

.

28. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise nanofibers that are grown on the at least first surface.

29. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise nanofibers that are grown on a second surface and transferred to the first surface.

30. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the nanofibers comprise silicon oxide nanofibers.

32. A system or device comprising:

one or more super-liquidphobic substrate of claim 1 or claim 24.

31. A super-liquidphobic substrate, wherein a liquid drop on the substrate displays a contact angle of at least 160°

or more, wherein the substrate comprises;

at least a first surface, a plurality of nanofibers deposited on said first surface the nanofibers comprising a non-carbon material and having an exposed external surface and a first end which is attached to the first surface and a second, free end which is unattached to the first surface and extends from the first surface, which plurality of nanofibers comprises a coating of one or more exogenous liquidphobic material deposited on the exposed external surface of the nanofibers which coating extends over the length of the nanofibers from the first end to the second end thereof.