Control of conductive polymer surface structuration to reach superoleophobicity
Résumé
The obtaining of surfaces with superoleophobic properties is a very recent field of investigation. Oils have a low surface tension and thus a high ability to wet any surfaces. Surfaces that can repel oils must have peculiar surface roughness, as double scale (micro and nano) surface structuration and are consequently very difficult to produce. The elaboration of superoleophobic surfaces usually involves multi-step processes to create the surface morphology and to modify the extreme surface with fluorinated materials. Our research group is able to produce superhydrophobic and superoleophobic surfaces using a controllable, easy to implement, fast and one-step method: the electrochemical deposition of conducting polymers. In this study we could control the micro and nanostructuration by varying two parameters: 1) the molecular structure of the monomer and 2) the electrodeposition method (imposed potential or current) to obtain a wide range of properties including exceptional anti-oil properties: a contact angle of 150° with hexadecane. We present here results obtained from a pyrrole-based platform molecule. The electrodeposited polymer films were characterized by static and dynamic contact angle measurement with various probe liquids, optical profilometry and scanning electron microscopy.