Modification of Surface Wettability through Adsorption of Partly Fluorinated Statistical and Block Polyelectrolytes from Aqueous Medium

The wetting properties of electrostatically charged hydrophilic substrates were modified through adsorption of ultrathin layer of amphiphilic block or statistical polyelectrolyte from aqueous medium. The studied polymers were copolymers of 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) and 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate (TFEMA). They were adsorbed on mica from varying pH conditions, either as dissolved unimers or as kinetically trapped aqueous nanoparticles. The structures (by atomic force microscopy) and wetting properties (by dynamic contact angle measurements) of the obtained surface layers were determined. The majority of the surface layers consisted of polymeric nanoparticles with varying surface coverage. Annealing at 150 °C flattened and spread the particles on the surfaces. The surface wettability was found to be significantly influenced by the morphology and chemical composition of the obtained polymeric surface layer. The surfaces with the most homogeneous and smooth polymer layers exhibited the lowest contact angle hysteresis. The advancing/receding contact angles on the most hydrophilic copolymer layer on mica were 47°/<20°, and on the least hydrophilic layer they were 96°/63°. On unmodified mica surface the water contact angle is ∼0°. When those copolymers that provided the highest contact angles on mica were adsorbed on cellulose fiber substrates and annealed at 120 °C, highly hydrophobic surfaces were obtained, with advancing contact angles around 160°.