Single-Step Process for the Deposition of High Water Contact Angle and High Water Sliding Angle Surfaces by Atmospheric Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge

Fluorine-free surfaces with high water contact angle (WCA) and high adhesion force to water are prepared by the atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (AP-DBD) of hexamethyldisiloxane on cold rolled aluminum foil. Water droplets, which remained on the plasma-polymerized hexamethyldisiloxane (ppHMDSO) surface with contact angle of 155°, do not slide even when the surface is tilted vertically or turned upside down. Scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and confocal microscopy highlight the importance of the dual-scale roughness of the ppHMDSO surface. The "sticky" high WCA property is achieved only when the nanometer scale particles generated during the AP-DBD process are present at the surface of the film and combine to the micrometer scale rolling lines of the aluminum substrate.